LIST: World leaders vaccinated against Covid-19

MANILA, Philippines — Nations across the world have started their vaccination drives against SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes respiratory ailment COVID-19. And as many expressed apprehension about taking the new vaccines over safety issues, government and religious leaders sat on the patient’s chair, rolled up their sleeves, and took the jab to rally hopes to end the pandemic.

US President-elect Joe Biden

On December 22, 2020, US President-elect Joe Biden received his first dose of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine.

Biden, 78, was inoculated live on television to encourage Americans to avail themselves of the free vaccine against Covid-19.

My number one priority is getting people vaccinated as quickly as we can to get our country back on track. pic.twitter.com/JLY1DntIlR

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 12, 2021

US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris

Incoming US Vice President Kamala Harris was also vaccinated in front of the public’s eye on December 26, 2020.

“That was easy,” Harris said after she received her first dose of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine.

On the frontlines of this fight are nurses like Patricia who administered my vaccine yesterday. As the daughter of immigrants from Guyana, Patricia has been working tirelessly to protect and save lives.

To Patricia and all the nurses battling this pandemic—thank you. pic.twitter.com/xFmCWI3jRs

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) December 30, 2020

US Vice President Mike Pence

Outgoing US Vice President Mike Pence got his first shot of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech on December 18, 2020.

During the televised event, Pence said “confidence in the vaccine is what brings us here this morning.”

“I didn’t feel a thing. Well done.”

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip

Queen Elizabeth II, 94, and Prince Philip, 99, received Covid-19 vaccines on January 9, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace.

Britain’s royals were inoculated at Windsor Castle but the vaccine administered to them was not divulged.

Pope Francis and Benedict XVI

Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI received their first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine as the inoculation campaign kicked off in The Vatican on January 13, according to Vatican News.

“I can confirm that as part of the vaccination program of the Vatican City State, as of today, the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine has been administered to Pope Francis and to the Pope Emeritus,” Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, told the reporters.

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

A December 26 Reuters report citing the Saudi Press Agency stated that Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has received his first jab of Covid-19 vaccine on December 25.

Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Prime minister and vice president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum posted on his Twitter account on November 3 last year that he has received a Covid-19 vaccine shot.

Al Maktoum was administered with China’s Sinopharm vaccine.

While receiving the COVID-19 vaccine today. We wish everyone safety and great health, and we are proud of our teams who have worked relentlessly to make the vaccine available in the UAE. The future will always be better in the UAE. pic.twitter.com/Rky5iqgfdg

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) November 3, 2020

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

On January 10, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became the first Israeli to be vaccinated against Covid-19, according to a report published by The New York Times.

Netanyahu received the Pfizer-BioNTech jab.

“I asked to be vaccinated first, together with Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, to serve as personal examples and encourage you to be vaccinated,” he said during the televised inoculation.

מקבל את הזריקה השנייה במבצע ״חוזרים לחיים״ – כל אזרחי ישראל יחוסנו תוך 2-3 חודשים ונוכל לפתוח את הכלכלה שלנו!

(צילום: עמוס בן גרשום, לע״מ) pic.twitter.com/I5ni9yidCx

— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) January 9, 2021

Indonesian President Joko Widodo

Indonesian President Joko Widodo was the first to get the shot of the Covid-19 vaccine in his country last January 13. He was vaccinated with the first of two doses of CoronaVac, the jab made by China’s Sinovac Biotech.

“I don’t feel it at all,” he said.

“This vaccination is important to break the chain of coronavirus infections and to give health protection to all of us, and safety and security for all Indonesians,” the 59-year-old Widodo told reporters, adding that it would “also help speed up the economic recovery.”

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had his first Covid-19 vaccine dose on January 8.

“It will make us safer, and it will make you and your loved ones safer too, so please take it when you can,” the 68-year-old prime minister said.

Singapore was the first Asian country to acquire and receive a batch of Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was administered a jab of the Sinovac’s Covid-19 vaccine in front of cameras on January 14.

“The number of vaccines in the first stage is clear. Now, another 25-30 million doses will come in the period ahead. We want to continue this rapidly,” he told the reporters outside the Ankara City Hospital.

President Wavel Ramkalawan of Seychelles

The president of Seychelles, an archipelagic island country in the Indian Ocean, was also inoculated against Covid-19.

The BBC on January 11 reported that President Wavel Ramkalawan was given a shot of China’s Sinopharm vaccine.

KGA

RELATED STORY

Duterte okay to get Covid-19 vaccine but in private, says Palace

View comments

TAGS: