US President-elect Joe Biden joins list of world leaders to receive COVID-19 vaccine on TV

US President-elect Joe Biden received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at a hospital in Newark, Delaware on Monday, December 21 (local time). The vaccination process was also broadcasted live on television across the 50 states. With just a month left for his White House inauguration, Biden took the opportunity to urge all Americans to get inoculated as soon as the vaccine becomes available to them.

"I'm doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared when it's available to take the vaccine. There's nothing to worry about," said Joe Biden.

Read: Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu Receives Pfizer Covid Vaccine, Says 'excited And Proud'

The 77-year-old also garnered accolades from Americans as he refused to count to three before receiving the shot. “I am ready,“ he said as instructed the health care professional to inject him with the vaccine. Biden praised the health care workers and said President Donald Trump's administration "deserves some credit getting this off the ground."

The president-elect said that his wife Jill Biden had received her first dose earlier in the day. Biden's running mate, Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff are expected to receive their first shots next week.

Read: US Official Urges Trump To Get COVID-19 Vaccine To 'generate More Confidence' In Public

Other leaders who've been vaccinated 

Earlier on Friday, US Vice President Mike Pence received the Pfizer-BioNTech shot on live television, along with Surgeon General Jerome Adams to assure the people about the effectiveness of the vaccine. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received Covid-19 vaccination at Sheba Hospital in Tel Aviv, becoming the first  Israeli to be vaccinated with the Pfizer/BioNTech shot. The vaccination was shown live on Israel television as Netanyahu also became the first sitting prime minister publicly known to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. Netanyahu was of the opinion that this small injection is a giant leap in the fight against the pandemic. 

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