PHOTOS: Dr. Fauci publicly receives the coronavirus vaccine

By

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Dr. Anthony Fauci and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Alex Azar were among those receiving the COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday morning during a vaccination kickoff event at the National Institutes of Health.

"I'm very pleased and honored to be here today," Dr. Fauci said.

dr fauci receives the covid-19 vaccine
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the National Institutes of Health on December 22, 2020 in Bethesda, Maryland. Photo credit Getty Images

Both Fauci and Azar received the Moderna vaccine that received emergency use authorization in the United States just days ago.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, gives the thumbs up after receiving his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the National Institutes of Health on December 22, 2020 in Bethesda, Maryland.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, gives the thumbs up after receiving his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the National Institutes of Health on December 22, 2020 in Bethesda, Maryland. Photo credit Getty Images

In a tweet, Azar said he, Fauci and National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins would get vaccinated on Tuesday, without providing an exact time.

“We believe it’s important to publicly receive the vaccine as part of our efforts to demonstrate that these vaccines are safe and effective,” Azar wrote.

Several frontline workers at NIH Clinical Center will also take COVID-19 vaccines, he said.

President-elect Joe Biden and his wife received the first doses of their COVID-19 vaccines on Monday.

LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App
Follow RADIO.COM
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram