Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez documented her experience getting the COVID-19 vaccine on Instagram in an effort to convince followers to fo...
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez documented her experience getting the COVID-19 vaccine on Instagram in an effort to convince followers to follow suit when it becomes available to them.
The New York socialist, known for her strong social media presence, posted a string of videos on Friday when the jab was offered to her and other members of Congress.
At the start of the thread, the 31-year-old urged her 8.2 million followers to send in their questions, writing: 'Just like wearing a mask, I'd never advise you to do something I wasn't willing to do myself.'
Ocasio-Cortez later faced backlash from critics who said it was unfair for lawmakers to receive the vaccine ahead of some healthcare workers.
New York Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez documented her experience getting the COVID-19 vaccine on Instagram on Friday
When she arrived for her vaccine appointment, Ocasio-Cortez showed off the form that she and everyone receiving the jab has to fill out beforehand.
She then posted a video of the shot itself, explaining in the caption that Pfizer's vaccine includes two rounds before immunity develops.
Next she shared a photo of her sitting in a room with several other masked lawmakers who just received the shot as well.
'After you get the shot, they seat us in a room...for 15 minutes just to make sure we're good,' she wrote.
'Sometimes people get headaches or dizziness in general or seeing blood, etc, so it's just a precaution. No problems today!' she added.
Ocasio-Cortez shared photos throughout the process, including the form she had to fill out beforehand (left). She also answered followers' questions about the vaccine
Ocasio-Cortez shared a photo of her and other masked lawmakers sitting in a room after receiving the shot
After breaking down the basics of the vaccine - including a whole post about potential side-effects - Ocasio-Cortez turned her attention to a viewer's question about why politicians were getting it before some healthcare workers.
'I was actually surprised by this too — I was expecting that we were going to get it a lot later,' she said.
'But when it comes to Congress's access, it's due to something known as "continuity of governance" planning.
'Basically, there are national security politics on the books to ensure continuity of governance during national emergencies.'
But some Twitter users weren't satisfied with that explanation.
'@aoc, as a young person, how do you justify getting the vaccine ahead of front line workers and the elderly that live in your district?' one critic asked.
Another added: 'Can I ask why all the politicians are getting access to the vaccine while all the healthcare workers haven’t yet?
'Considering there is only enough for 50 million in our giant population, first responders should take priority.'
Ocasio-Cortez faced backlash from critics who said it was unfair for lawmakers to receive the vaccine ahead of some healthcare workers
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 80, likewise shared her vaccine experience with followers on Twitter on Friday.
'Today, with confidence in science & at the direction of the Office of the Attending Physician, I received the COVID-19 vaccine,' the California Democrat wrote alongside photos of herself getting the vaccine.
'As the vaccine is being distributed, we must all continue mask wearing, social distancing & other science-based steps to save lives & crush the virus.'
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi likewise shared her vaccine experience with Twitter followers
America's first COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer and German partner BioNTech began distribution around the country last week after having received emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration on December 11.
A second vaccine from Moderna was granted the same approval a week later.
Both vaccines require two doses to be administered several weeks apart.
The Pfizer and Moderna shots shipped so far and going out over the next few weeks are nearly all going to health care workers and residents of long-term care homes, based on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
There won't be enough shots for the general population until spring, so doses will be rationed at least for the next several months.
President-elect Joe Biden pledged earlier this month to have 100 million vaccine doses distributed in his first 100 days in office, and his surgeon general nominee, Vivek Murthy, said Sunday that it's still a realistic goal.
Boxes containing the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are prepared to be shipped at the McKesson distribution center in Olive Branch, Mississippi, on Sunday
But Murthy said it's more realistic to think it may be midsummer or early fall before coronavirus vaccines are available to the general population, rather than late spring.
Murthy said Biden's team is working toward having the shots available to lower-risk individuals by late spring but doing so requires 'everything to go exactly on schedule'.
'I think it's more realistic to assume that it may be closer to mid-summer or early fall when this vaccine makes its way to the general population,' Murthy told Meet the Press.
'So, we want to be optimistic, but we want to be cautious as well.'
The sprawling vaccine rollout comes as the US continues to see alarming surges in COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations during the holiday season.
An additional 249,709 Americans tested positive for the virus and another 2,814 died on Saturday, bringing the totals to over 17.66 million and 316,209, respectively.
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