US Vice-President Mike Pence receives COVID-19 vaccine

US Vice-President Mike Pence has received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

In November, Pfizer and BioNTech had announced that the vaccine has the capacity to prevent more than 90 percent of people from getting infected.

The vaccination event took place on Friday at the White House annex.

Karen, wife of the US vice-president, and Jerome Adams, the surgeon general, were also administered the coronavirus vaccine.

The Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine had received emergency use authorisation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for distribution across the US.

Speaking on the vaccine, Pence referred to it as a “medical miracle”.

“As the Christmas holiday approaches, this is always a season of hope. We gather here today at the end of a historic week to affirm to the American people that hope is on the way. Karen and I are more than happy to step forward before this week goes out, to take the safe and effective coronavirus vaccine that we have secured and produced for the American people,” he said.

“It’s truly inspiring that as the people of this country witness this past week under the Operation Warp Speed, the first coronavirus vaccine is literally being administered in states across the country to millions of Americans.

“Make no mistake about it, it’s a medical miracle. The average vaccine, I’m told by our experts, usually takes between eight and 12 years to develop, and then manufacture and distribute. We’re on track here in the United States to administer millions of doses to the American people in less than one year. It is a miracle indeed.”

However, US President Donald Trump — who was hospitalised with COVID-19 in October — is yet to receive the vaccine.

Kayleigh McEnany, US press secretary, at a media briefing on Tuesday, had said the president is open to taking the vaccine as soon as he gets the approval of his medical team.

“The president, currently at this moment, has said he is absolutely open to taking the vaccine. He’s been emphatic about that to me privately and to you all publicly,” she said.

“But he did recently recover from COVID. He has the continued protective effects of the monoclonal antibody cocktail that I mentioned, and he will receive the vaccine as soon as his medical team determines it’s best.

“But his priority is frontline workers, those in long-term care facilities, and he wants to make sure that the vulnerable get access first.”