Biden given second vaccine dose as pandemic continues to rage

New York, Jan. 12, (dpa/GNA) – US President-elect Joe Biden on Monday received his second dose of the coronavirus vaccine, as the pandemic continues to rage in the United States.

Biden was administered the shot during a televised event in his home state of Delaware. He received his first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in December.

Other public figures in the US have also rolled up their sleeve on camera, as part of an outreach campaign aimed at swinging sceptical people towards getting inoculated so as to ensure eventual herd immunity and allow the country to return to normal life.

The coronavirus pandemic continues to ravage the US, with rising case numbers. The country has recorded more than 22.5 million infections and 375,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data, leading the world on both counts.

Biden, who is due to be inaugurated on January 20, said the top priority for his new administration was to speed up the country’s vaccination campaign.

“Three to four thousand people a day dying is just beyond the pale, it’s just wrong, and we can do a lot to change it,” the Democrat said.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, like the one developed by Moderna, requires two doses administered about three weeks apart.

The vaccine has a 95-per-cent efficacy, according to clinical trials.

GNA