White House staff members will reportedly be among the first Americans to have full access to the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the New York Times.
"Senior officials across all three branches of government will receive vaccinations pursuant to continuity of government protocols established in executive policy," National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot said in a statement. "The American people should have confidence that they are receiving the same safe and effective vaccine as senior officials of the United States government on the advice of public health professionals and national security leadership."
Other groups to receive the vaccine before the general public will be the elderly and high-risk health care workers.
Supply for the vaccine will be limited, but it was reported yesterday that approximately 3 million vaccines will be sent to 600 locations. FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn described the review process in a statement" "Today's action follows an open and transparent review process that included input from independent scientific and public health experts and a thorough evaluation by the agency's career scientists to ensure this vaccine met FDA's rigorous, scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization."
The coronavirus has been a consistent issue in the White House throughout the pandemic. CNN reports that 35 people within the White House and Trump's cabinet have tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020, including President Donald Trump, himself.
[Via]