Why Dr. Fauci Says Joe Biden Should Receive The COVID Vaccine 'As Soon As Possible'

Now that COVID-19 vaccines are on the way, the end of the pandemic is in sight. Not everyone will be able to get the vaccine right away, though, as health care workers on the front lines and others at high risk will be the first to get it.

Several high-profile people including former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton have vowed to get vaccinated in public in order to help promote confidence in the safety of the vaccines. They are also likely to be among those to receive an early dose.

President-elect Joe Biden has also said he will take the vaccine, something that infectious disease expert and member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force Dr. Anthony Fauci said is quite important. "We want him fully protected as he enters the presidency in January," Fauci told ABC (via The Guardian). Fauci said it's imperative that Biden receive the vaccine soon for "security reasons."

While President Donald Trump shouldn't need the vaccine right away as he contracted COVID-19 in October and should still be protected by antibodies, Fauci said Vice President Mike Pence should also be vaccinated quickly.

Key government officials were originally scheduled to be among the first to receive the vaccine, something that angered many people. "Senior officials across all three branches of government will receive vaccinations pursuant to continuity of government protocols established in executive policy," said National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot (via The Washington Post).

Trump, however, tweeted after Ullyot's statement that this will not be happening. "People working in the White House should receive the vaccine somewhat later in the program, unless specifically necessary," he wrote. "I have asked that this adjustment be made. I am not scheduled to take the vaccine, but look forward to doing so at the appropriate time. Thank you!"