US Vice President Harris Gets COVID-19 Booster Shot

US Vice President Kamala Harris has taken on Saturday COVID-19 booster shot.

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Harris, 57, received her first dose of the Moderna vaccine on Dec. 29 and her second less than a week after Inauguration Day.

"I got the booster shot, and I want to encourage everyone to do the same when you are eligible," Harris said in a statement. "And as we have said from the beginning the vaccines are free, they're safe and they will save your life."

Harris also warned in the statement of the potential consequences of not getting vaccinated.

"And we've all seen the videos of folks who are in the ICU bed, who were not vaccinated, with tears, begging people -- including their family member -- to get vaccinated," Harris said. "And what we know at this point in our country is the vast majority -- I'm told well over 90% of the people -- who are in the ICU or are dying from COVID are unvaccinated."

"So, let's everybody get vaccinated and get through and beyond this pandemic," she added.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized last week the booster shots for the vaccines produced by Moderna and Johnson & Johnson for older and at-risk recipients.

The CDC also authorized for Americans to receive booster doses from a different brand than their original jab.

For Moderna and Pfizer, the CDC authorized doses at least six months after the second shot for people over 65 and adults who live with underlying conditions, in long-term care facility or work in a field of high risk. For the Johnson & Johnson booster, the CDC authorized extra doses for everyone who received the single-dose vaccine after two months because data have shown it doesn't appear to provide as much protection as the two other vaccines.

White House officials told Fox 13 that Harris' duties require her to frequently travel and interact with a wide range of people, making her eligible for the booster shot.

Symone Sanders, a senior adviser to the vice president, similarly told the News & Observer Friday her duties increase the risk of COVID-19 exposure, and she also wanted to show the public how easy it is to receive a booster shot.

Her husband, Doug Emhoff, will also get the booster shot Saturday, the News & Observer reported.

The United States has had over 45 million cases and over 745,000 deaths from the pandemic, the Johns Hopkins world map of COVID-19 cases and deaths shows.

Nearly 58% of the U.S. population has become fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according the Bloomberg COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker.

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The Food and Drug Administration authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine booster dose for individuals 65 and older and those who are a high risk of severe COVID-19 last month.

White House Coronavirus Response Team Coordinator Jeff Zients said nearly 2 million U.S. residents received booster shots in the first week of eligibility.