Joe Biden receives coronavirus vaccine on TV, hails healthcare workers: 'We owe you big'

President-elect Joe Biden received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech novel coronavirus vaccine live on TV. Biden visited Delaware's ChristianaCare Hospital where he received the shot on camera. The former Vice President rolled up his sleeve and the nurse practitioner Tabe Mase gave him the shot. Mase offered Biden the option to count to three in preparation for the shot but he told her she could give him the shot whenever she was ready. The President-elect took the first shot of the vaccine on TV, just as he had promised to earlier this month. He hoped it would encourage those skeptical about the vaccine to take it when the time came. "I'm doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared, when it's available, to take the vaccine," said Biden, reported People. At 78-years-old, Biden also falls into the high-risk category for coronavirus complications on account of his age. Joe Biden's wife, Jill, also received her first shot of vaccine earlier in the day. 

Biden also hailed health workers who have been tirelessly battling through the pandemic. "We owe these folks an awful lot," said Biden. "The scientists and the people who put this together, the frontline workers, the people who were the ones who actually did the clinical work. Just amazing ... We owe you big. We really do," he added. He also credited the Trump administration for the vaccine development program Operation Warp Speed. "Vaccines don’t save lives, vaccinations do. I believe we can administer 100 million vaccine shots in the first 100 days of my administration," read a statement released by Biden. "My administration will focus on science and managing a robust and aggressive plan to contain the virus on day one. It will take all of us, continuing to do our part, to slow the spread of the virus including mask-wearing and social distancing."

The distribution of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine started last week after the Food and Drug Administration issued an 'emergency-use' authorization of the vaccine. The distribution of a second vaccine, by Moderna, is expected to be approved on Friday. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel has recommended healthcare workers and residents and staff at long-term care facilities be prioritized for the vaccine, followed by those over the age of 75. The Pfizer vaccine is administered in two doses, each several weeks apart, in order to achieve 95 percent efficacy. Biden and his wife are expected to receive their second shots in a couple of weeks. The current president Donald Trump is yet to receive his vaccine but a White House spokeswoman confirmed that he "is absolutely open to taking the vaccine" but added that he still had antibodies from the treatment he received while battling the virus. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for Coronavirus in October. Trump had been hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for several days before making a dramatic return to the White House.

Biden is one of the many prominent lawmakers to take the vaccine on camera to encourage other Americans to take the vaccine. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared images of them receiving shots. Vice president-elect Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, are expected to receive their first rounds of the vaccine in the coming week. Current Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Second Lady Karen Pence, also received the first shots of the vaccinated on live television. So far, America has recorded more than 325,000 deaths because of Coronavirus. More than 18 million Americans have contracted the virus.

Disclaimer: Information about the pandemic is swiftly changing, and Upworthy is committed to providing the most recent and verified updates in our articles and reportage. However, considering the frequency in developments, some of the information/data in this article may have changed since the time of publication. Therefore, we encourage you to also regularly check online resources from local public health departments, the Centers for Disease Control, and the World Health Organization.