Trump has been vaccinated for coronavirus
Former President Trump and former first lady Melania Trump both received coronavirus vaccines in January, an adviser confirmed to The Hill on Monday.
The two got their first dose while in the White House and have since received their second dose, the adviser said. It was not clear whether they received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine.
The Trumps both contracted the coronavirus in late September, with the former president spending three days in the hospital due to more severe symptoms.
The former president did not initially get the vaccine, even as officials like then-Vice President Mike Pence did, with Trump and others citing the antibody therapy he received as part of his treatment for the virus.
Trump has in the past expressed skepticism about vaccines on social media, and experts worried that his past rhetoric and reluctance to get the shot while in office could contribute to broader vaccine hesitancy. Public polling has shown Republicans say they are less likely to get the coronavirus vaccine than Democrats.
But Trump, in a speech on Sunday at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), urged Americans to get the vaccine as he took credit for the rapid development and approval of the shots.
“This was us. We did this. And the distribution is moving along, according to our plan. And it’s moving along really well,” Trump told the crowd of supporters in Florida.
“But remember, we took care of a lot of people, including, I guess on Dec. 21, we took care of Joe Biden,” Trump continued, referencing the date Biden got his first dose. “‘Cause he got his shot. He got his vaccine. He forgot. It shows you how un-painful all that vaccine shot is. So everybody go get your shot.”
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