Biden Receives COVID-19 Booster and Annual Flu Shot: "President Encourages Everyone to Follow His Lead"

By The Associated Press

President Joe Biden received the updated COVID-19 vaccine and the annual flu vaccine, the White House said Saturday.

White House physician Kevin O'Connor said in a memo that Biden received both injections on Friday. O'Connor said Biden, 80, was also vaccinated several weeks ago against the respiratory disease known as RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus.

"As we enter cold and flu season, the President encourages all Americans to follow suit and consult with their health care provider or pharmacist to ensure they are fully vaccinated," O'Connor wrote.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) earlier this month endorsed the new COVID-19 vaccine for everyone 6 months and older.

The severity of the COVID-19 pandemic has faded, but there are still thousands of hospitalizations and hundreds of deaths in the United States each week.

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Experts worry that immunity from previous vaccines and infections is fading in many people, and that a new vaccine would save many lives.

First lady Jill Biden tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month but experienced only mild symptoms.

CDC recommends that people who have COVID-19 and are isolated wait to get vaccinated until symptoms disappear and isolation guidelines have been met.

Children and adults with multisystem inflammatory syndrome should wait to be vaccinated until they recover from the disease and 90 days have passed since diagnosis, according to the CDC.