President Biden received his updated COVID-19 shot out of public view because he has a busy schedule and they wanted to get it done, the White House said Monday.
Mr. Biden received a flu shot and the latest version of the COVID-19 booster Friday, according to a letter from his physician that was released over the weekend.
The president got his previous COVID-19 shots on camera, prompting questions about why the latest shots were delivered in private.
“As you know, he’s got an incredibly busy schedule. He got his vaccination the earliest moment he could,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Ms. Jean-Pierre said the administration will deploy a “robust campaign” to encourage people to get their COVID-19 shots this fall, but that it doesn’t require a “presidential photo-op.”
The shots from Pfizer and Moderna recently became available and target XBB variants and sub-lineages that appeared earlier in the year.
In some ways, Mr. Biden’s decision to get the shot in private reflects his administration’s approach to the coronavirus at this juncture.
Mr. Biden says it is important to remain vigilant, but the worst is over and COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency.
Some businesses and colleges around the country have reimposed mask mandates alongside a reported uptick in cases, though hospitalizations remain relatively low and government entities haven’t reimposed sweeping mandates.
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
