All ex-American presidents alive, except Donald Trump, joined in an advertising campaign asking Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to help end the pandemic.
Titled “It depends on you,” the ad features former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, as well as photos of former first ladies Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Rosalynn Carter receiving a COVID- 19 vaccine.
“This vaccine means hope. It will protect you and those you love from this dangerous and deadly disease, ”said Obama, 59, in the ad.
“To get rid of this pandemic, it is important that our fellow citizens are vaccinated,” said Bush.
Since the pandemic began, more than 530,000 Americans have been killed by COVID-19. The number of cases and deaths from the disease has steadily declined in the months since vaccines were distributed across the country.
“I’m being vaccinated because we want this pandemic to end as soon as possible,” said Carter, 96.
“I want to go back to work and be able to move,” said Clinton, who, like Bush, is 74 years old.
Trump’s absence from the advertising campaign is notable in several ways. The former president and his wife, Melania, were vaccinated against COVID-19 at the White House in early January, although they did not announce the fact and were not informed until March 1.
After leaving the White House, Trump avoided efforts to promote vaccination, with one exception during his February 28 speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
“We take care of a lot of people – including, I think, on December 21, we took care of Joe Biden, because he got his injection, he got his vaccine,” said Trump. “It shows how that vaccine is not painful.”
“So, guys, take your chance,” added Trump, 74.
In a statement on Wednesday, Trump simultaneously took credit for the rapid production of vaccines and insisted that, had it not been for his presidency, no vaccine could have been developed for COVID-19.
“I hope everyone will remember when they are taking the COVID-19 vaccine (often called the China Virus), that if I weren’t the president, you wouldn’t have that beautiful ‘injection’ for 5 years at most, and probably not would achieve anything.
The USA, however, is not the only country to assist in the production of vaccines for COVID-19.
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