The United States begins its vaccination program from Monday. U.S. government, FedEx and the United Parcel Service have begun the enormous logistical undertaking of delivering millions of vaccine doses across the country.
The United States, which tops the list of the worst-hit countries from the pandemic, has so far registered over 16.3 million cases and 300,00 deaths, according to worldometers.info figures.
Mr Trump said “senior citizens, healthcare workers and first responders” would be “first in line” to receive the first round of 2.9 million doses this month.
Mr Trump said state governors would decide where the vaccines will go in their state and who will get them first.
New York nurse Sandra Lindsay became the first person in America to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, live on television, six days after Britain launched the West’s vaccine campaign against Covid-19.
In an interview with a US newspaper, Lindsay said, “That was a goal today…not to be the first one to take the vaccine but to inspire people who look like me, who are sceptical in general about taking vaccines”.
Lindsay, who works at Long Island Jewish Medical Centre, said she wanted to lead as an example, particularly as a Black woman who faced the legacy of unequal and racist medical treatment.
Lindsay added, “It didn’t feel any different from taking any other vaccine…I hope this marks the beginning of the end of the very painful time in our history.”
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Steven Hahn said it is possible that 20 million Americans will be able to get vaccinated with the first of two required doses by the end of December.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said he would be among those getting a vaccine.
“People will believe much more in the vaccine if the CEO is getting vaccinated,” he said Monday on CNN.
