Daily US Times: Senior US government officials, some of them are White House officials who work in close proximity to President Trump and Vice President Pence, will be offered Covid-19 vaccines as soon as this week, while its public distribution is limited to people in nursing homes and long-term care facilities and front-line health workers.
Doses of the newly approved vaccine from US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer will be made available to those who work in close quarters with the country’s top leaders, two people familiar with the decision confirmed on condition of anonymity. They said the move was meant to prevent more coronavirus infections in the White House, which has already suffered from several Covid-19 outbreaks that infected President Trump and other top officials, and other critical facilities.
It was not immediately clear who and how many officials would be offered the vaccine initially and whether Trump or Pence would get it.
Officials said the government is undertaking the vaccination program under federal continuity of government plans.
National Security Council spokesperson John Ulyot said: “Senior officials across all three branches of government will receive vaccinations pursuant to continuity of government protocols established in executive policy.”
He urged the American people to have confidence because the government officials are receiving the same safe and effective vaccine as senior officials of the US government on the advice of public health professionals and national security leadership.
The New York Times first reported the matter.
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