WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden publicly received a COVID-19 booster shot Monday and encouraged all those eligible for a third dose to seek out a shot.
At 78 years old, Biden qualified for a COVID-19 booster shot in line with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
"I know it doesn't look like it, but I'm over 65, and that's why I'm getting my booster today," Biden joked before rolling up his sleeve.
Last Wednesday, the FDA amended the emergency use authorization for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to allow for a single booster dose to be administered at least six months after completion of the first two doses for people 65 years of age and older, those 18 to 64 who are at high risk of severe COVID-19, and those 18 to 64 whose occupational exposure to the coronavirus puts them at high risk of serious complications from COVID-19.
The CDC says those 65 years and older, residents in long-term care settings, and people 50 to 64 years of age with underlying medical conditions “should” receive a booster shot of Pfizer’s vaccine at least six months after their second dose.
Additionally, the CDC says people 18 to 59 years of age with underlying medical conditions "may" receive a Pfizer booster shot based on their individual benefits and risks. The same goes for people between 18 and 64 who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional settings.
Biden received his second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a hospital near his Delaware home on Jan. 11. He said Monday that he did not have any side effects from his first two doses of the vaccine.
He added that the first lady would also be getting a booster shot sometime in the near future.
