US: Biden to get Pfizer's COVID vaccine on Monday

WASHINGTON

US President-elect Joe Biden and first lady-elect Jill Biden will publicly receive Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine next week, the transition team announced Friday.

Speaking on a conference call with reporters, Spokeswoman Jen Psaki reportedly said Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, would receive the vaccine the following week.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine requires two separate doses spaced weeks apart.

The news comes on the heels of Vice President Mike Pence receiving the first of his two vaccines live on national television Friday morning alongside his wife, Karen Pence, and Surgeon General Jerome Adams. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have also received the Pfizer vaccine.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to greenlight Moderna's vaccine for emergency use as soon as Friday. Like the Pfizer vaccine it uses a novel method of inoculation known as messenger RNA, and also requires two separate doses.

The FDA's vaccine advisory panel recommended the emergency approval Thursday, and Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn quickly said thereafter that the health agency plans to follow through on the panel's recommendation.