President Joe Biden Plans to Get COVID-19 Booster on Camera

Aaron Parsley
·2 min read
4
Joe Biden
Joe Biden

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty President Joe Biden

President Joe Biden plans to get a COVID-19 booster shot.

During the daily press briefing at the White House on Monday, Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that the president, 78, plans to get a third shot now that the Food and Drug Administration recommends it for people 65 and older.

"He will do so, and he will do so on camera," Psaki said. "I don't have a date for you exactly."

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted on Friday to recommend boosters to older Americans, those at high risk of serious illness from COVID-19 and others — such as teachers and healthcare workers — who could have increased exposure at work.

RELATED: Joe Biden Offers Renewed Plea for Vaccinations: 'The Vaccine Saves Lives and It Could Save Yours'

In August, the Biden administration announced that vaccinated Americans should get a COVID-19 booster shot eight months after being fully inoculated.

"The available data make very clear that protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection begins to decrease over time following the initial doses of vaccination, and in association with the dominance of the delta variant, we are starting to see evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease," the CDC said in a statement at the time.

But Friday's recommendation was limited to those who are at higher risk.

RELATED: Pfizer Announces It's Developing a COVID Vaccine Booster to Fight Against Delta Variant

"We view the news on Friday as an important step forward in protecting more people, saving more lives," Psaki added Monday. "The steps now is that [the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices] is planning to meet. Based on their recommendation, we're, of course, prepared to operationalize on the plan. And that includes having the President get his booster shot as well."

Joe Biden vaccine
Joe Biden vaccine

Alex Wong/Getty President-elect Joe Biden receives his second COVID-19 vaccine on Monday

The FDA is expected to decide about more widespread booster shots soon.

Biden received his first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech novel coronavirus vaccine in December at Delaware's ChristianaCare Hospital. His second shot was administered there three weeks later.

Both shots were televised as a way for the public to see that the vaccines are a safe defense against dangerous cases of Covid-19.

Psaki also said on Monday that the president is still regularly tested for the coronavirus that causes Covid-19. "He was tested last week," she said, "and his test was negative."

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC, WHO and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.