Biden says he’ll receive coronavirus vaccination publicly soon

US President-elect Joe Biden says he will receive a coronavirus vaccination publicly and that top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci has recommended it be “sooner than later.”

“I want to make sure we do it by the numbers and when I do it, you’ll have notice and we’ll do it publicly,” Biden tells reporters before leaving for Georgia to campaign for two Democratic Senate candidates.

“Dr. Fauci recommends I get the vaccine sooner than later,” the 78-year-old president-elect says.

More than 300,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the US and a winter surge is continuing across much of the country.

The US kicked off a mass vaccination drive yesterday and the authorities hope to immunize 20 million people this month, with healthcare workers and long-term care residents at the front of the line.

Authorities want to reach the rest of the population by summer, but much will depend on vaccine confidence. Experts estimate more than 70 percent of people will need to be vaccinated to stem the outbreak.

— AFP