KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. — As both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are distributed throughout the country, many high profile leaders are among the first to get vaccinated.
This, in addition to health care workers and nursing home residents who are at the very front of the line for vaccinations -- a total of about 24 million Americans.
On Friday, Vice President Mike Pence, along with second lady Karen Pence and Surgeon General Jerome Adams, were publicly vaccinated. And, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Mitch McConnell also received shots Friday.
President-elect Joe Biden is expected to receive a shot sometime Monday.
At the end of a news conference Monday, a reporter asked Gov. DeSantis when he plans to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
"I'm not stepping in line with anybody," DeSantis responded. "I'm less than 45, I imagine it'll take me a couple more months. I will do it, but I'm not going to step in front."
On Sunday, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices decided the next people in line should be people 75 and older and certain front-line workers. Combined, that's about 50 million Americans.
Those essential workers include firefighters and police; teachers and school staff; those working in food, agricultural and manufacturing sectors; corrections workers; U.S. Postal Service employees; public transit workers; and grocery store workers.
The panel's recommendation still awaits a signature from the CDC director.
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