President-elect Joe Biden said he wouldn’t hesitate to take a coronavirus vaccine.
“It’s important those who are under the greatest need get it,” Biden said during a question-and-answer session following a speech on the economy on Monday. “I wouldn’t hesitate to get the vaccine. But I also want to set an example. But I wouldn’t hesitate to get the vaccine if, in fact, Dr. [Anthony] Fauci and these two organizations, whether it is Moderna or Pfizer who have been extremely responsible, conclude that it is safe and able to be done.”
Drugmaker Moderna announced on Monday that its coronavirus vaccine was nearly 95% effective. A week earlier, Pfizer said it had produced a vaccine with 90% efficacy.
But the public appears increasingly reluctant to take a vaccine. A Gallup poll from September found that only 50% were willing to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Biden laid the blame for that at the feet of President Trump.
“The only reason people question the vaccine now is because of Donald Trump,” he said. “That’s the reason why people are questioning the vaccine, because of all the things he says or doesn’t say.”
An NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll from September found that 52% of respondents didn’t trust what Trump had to say about the vaccine.
