US Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence will publicly receive a COVID-19 vaccine Friday, the White House announced Wednesday evening.

The move, according to the White House, comes as part of an effort to "promote the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and build confidence among the American people."

Surgeon General Jerome Adams will also receive the vaccine.

The vaccinations will take place at the White House.

According to NPR News, some high-ranking officials including President-elect Joe Biden are making preparations to be vaccinated to urge fellow Americans days after the first vaccine was administered in New York.

A New York healthcare worker received the first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on Monday.

According to White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany Tuesday, President Donald Trump "will take it when health experts and his White House doctor ask him to do so and says it's the appropriate time.”

The country's coronavirus-related deaths total more than 307,000 and over 16.9 million cases have been registered so far, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University. (Anadolu Agency)

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