The chief of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is willing to publicly receive a coronavirus vaccination, joining former U.S. Presidents George Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a display of trust in the process.
Tedros, an Ethiopian public health researcher and the head of W.H.O. since 2017, said during a Friday briefing he is “happy to” publicly show himself receiving the vaccination.
“It’s a good idea, and I support their offer,” Tedros said when asked about former U.S. Presidents George Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama committing to getting vaccinated publicly, along with Boris Johnson, adding “They can influence… They are influencers.”
“I would be happy to do the same thing, but at the same time, I need to also make sure that it’s my turn because I don’t want to take anybody’s vaccine.”
A W.H.O. report published Friday highlighted “harnessing social influences”, by profiling people who are “particularly trusted” and willing to take a jab could help promote acceptance and uptake of coronavirus vaccines.
The three former presidents agreed to get vaccinated on camera to build American confidence in the drug.
President-elect Joe Biden said he will join them once infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci determines it’s safe, as Breitbart News reported.
Britain on Wednesday became the first Western country to approve a vaccine, from Pfizer-BioNTech, for general use, with other countries now voing to to follow suit swiftly.
Just 12 months after the pandemic began in China, the UK’s independent medicines regulator gave its green light in double-quick time, as Breitbart London reported.