2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is making it clear he would get a COVID-19 vaccine if there were a successful one ahead of the upcoming election.
Asked by a reporter on Sunday if he would take a vaccine if the Trump administration offered a successful one ahead of the presidential election, Biden responded, “I would want to see what the scientists said. I want full transparency on the vaccine.”
“One of the problems is the way he is playing with politics. He’s said so many things that aren’t true,” he continued as he took aim at the president.
He added:
“If I could get a vaccine tomorrow, I’d do it. If it cost me the election, I’d do it. We need a vaccine. We need it now.”
See Biden’s comments below:
News: Joe Biden says while Trump is undermining confidence in a COVID vaccine—he WOULD take a vaccine tomorrow if it was available as “we need a vaccine and we need it now.” pic.twitter.com/E9x5QbDYbk
— Bo Erickson Reuters (@BoKnowsNews) September 7, 2020
Biden’s recent remarks come shortly after his senior campaign adviser Symone Sanders was asked if the former vice president would take the vaccine if it became available.
However, instead of directly answering if Biden himself would take it, Sanders told Fox News on Sunday, “First and foremost, at the top of mind for Vice President Biden is, ‘Are the American people getting what they need?'”
“If a vaccine were to become available, again, it’s about what working families benefit, will they be able to receive the vaccine,” she added.
As for President Donald Trump, he previously indicated he would “absolutely” take a successful COVID-19 vaccine, as IJR previously reported.
“I would absolutely — if they wanted me to, if they thought it was right, I would take it first or I would take it last,” he said during a Fox News interview in July.
He added at the time that he “almost would prefer the therapeutics even first,” before a vaccine, so that when people go to a hospital, “you make people better.”
Polls have shown Americans are feeling reluctant about the idea of getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Compared to 32% in July, now 21% of voters polled by CBS News say they would get a vaccine “as soon as possible.” Additionally, the poll found that if a vaccine became available this year, 65% said their first thought would be it was “rushed through” and 35% said it would be a “scientific achievement.”