Pence gets COVID-19 vaccine, calls it a "miracle"

Vice President Mike Pence was vaccinated for COVID-19 on Friday in a live-television event aimed at reassuring Americans vaccine is safe. He celebrated shot as "a medical miracle" that could eventually contain raging coronavirus pandemic.

Pence, highest-profile official yet to receive vaccine, has taken an increasingly visible role in highlighting safety of shot, including touring a vaccine production facility this week. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leer Mitch McConnell both said Thursday that y will get vaccinated in next few days. President-elect Joe Biden expects to receive his shot as soon as next week.

Pence said he "didn't feel a thing" when he was injected with Pfizer-BioNTech's shot. "As Christmas holiday approaches, this is always a season of hope. We gar here today at end of a historic week to affirm to American people that hope is on way," Pence said. "And Karen and I were more than happy to step forward before this week was out to take safe and effective coronavirus vaccine that we have secured and produced for American people."

Pence's wife Karen and Surgeon General Jerome ams also received shots during televised White House event in Eisenhower Executive Office Building. ams, who is Black, emphasized importance of representation in outreach to at-risk communities and encouraged Americans to avoid disinformation around vaccines. Pence also mentioned expected FDA approval for Moderna's vaccine to provide reinforcements largest vaccination campaign in nation's history.

"When it is approved, we expect later today we'll be in a position to ship five point nine million doses of vaccines all across country next week," Pence said. "In fact, under Operation Warp Speed, we are poised to have a vaccine for 20 million Americans before end of December. It is truly a medical miracle and an inspiration to people across this country."

Five days into huge vaccination effort, and after his ministration helped deliver vaccinations earlier than even some in his ministration thought possible, President Donald Trump has held no public events to trumpet rollout. He hasn't been inoculated himself.

A survey from Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that only about half of Americans want to get vaccine as soon as possible. Anor quarter of public isn't sure, while remaining quarter say y aren't interested. Some simply oppose vaccines in general. Ors are concerned that injections have been rushed and want to see how rollout goes.