Biden, McConnell get booster shots just days after approval


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President Joe Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) both received Pfizer’s booster shot Monday, just days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended booster shots for certain groups of people.

Those groups of people include seniors, long term care facility residents, adults with underlying medical conditions, and adults “who are in an occupational or institutional setting where the burden of COVID-19 infection and risk of transmission is high”.

Biden got his booster shot on camera. The video above shows clips from the event.

“Like I did with my first and second COVID-19 vaccination shot, I’m about to get my booster shot and do it publicly,” Biden said ahead of getting the booster. “That’s because the Food and Drug Administration, the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC looked at all the data, completed their review and determined the boosters for the Pfizer vaccine…are safe and effective. They’ve had all the data they need.”

Hours later, Sen. McConnell announced he had gotten the booster while on the Senate floor. The video above shows his announcement.

“It was an easy decision to receive a booster,” McConnell said. “I’m a survivor of childhood polio from before vaccines, before vaccines eradicated that disease here in our country and around the world now. So I’ve been a lifelong champion of vaccinations.”

Even though they were both getting their booster Monday, both Biden and McConnell addressed the nearly 25 percent of eligible Americans aged 12 and older who remain completely unvaccinated. They are bearing the brunt of a months-long surge in cases and deaths brought about by the delta variant.

“That distinct minority is causing an awful lot of us, an awful lot of damage for the rest of the country,” Biden said before getting the booster. “This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated. That’s why I’m moving forward with vaccination requirements wherever I can.”

“Like I’ve been saying for months, these safe and effective vaccines are the way to defend ourselves and our families from this terrible virus. They’re also how we stay on offense against COVID as a country,” McConnell added. “All Americans should speak with their doctors and get vaccinated.”

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