Topline
Former President Donald Trump revealed at an event Sunday night that he’s received a Covid-19 vaccine booster shot–after previously saying he “probably” would not—leading to a small chorus of boos from some of his supporters that the ex-president quickly denounced.
Then President Donald Trump speaks during the Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Summit in the Eisenhower … [+]
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
Trump told a crowd of his supporters in Dallas that he’s received a booster, speaking to former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly on the final leg of the two’s “History Tour” speaking series (O’Reilly also said he’s received a booster).
In September, Trump said “I probably won’t” get a booster shot, telling the Wall Street Journal “I feel like I’m in good shape.”
A small number of jeers came from the crowd at American Airlines Center afterward, which appeared to annoy Trump.
“Don’t, don’t, don’t,” Trump told the crowd, pointing out those who booed as a “very tiny group.”
Key Background
Polling on Covid vaccine hesitancy has consistently shown Republicans and Trump voters at the top of the list of groups most opposed to getting vaccinated, even though vaccines were researched and rolled out during Trump’s presidency and he’s hailed the vaccines as a “miracle.” According to a vaccine tracker from the Mayo Clinic, 16 of the 17 states with the lowest vaccination rates went for Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Critics have slammed the president for not being more vocally supportive of vaccines, given many of his supporters are adamantly against the shots. Many note Trump chose not to publicize that he was vaccinated to begin with. Both Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump were vaccinated in January, which wasn’t made public until news reports in March. Vaccine hesitancy has also been exacerbated by online conspiracy theorists, many of whom are fervent Trump supporters, spreading disinformation about the safety of the vaccines.
What To Watch For
Health experts are urging Americans who haven’t been vaccinated to get their shots and those who’ve already been fully vaccinated to get a booster in order to hopefully limit what’s expected to be a major winter case surge. Experts and officials are especially concerned about the omicron variant of coronavirus, which was discovered in South Africa last month, quickly becoming the dominant strain in the United States. Studies have suggested omicron is much more contagious than earlier strains.
Tangent
The Dallas event was the fourth and final stop on the Trump-O’Reilly “History Tour.” Ticket prices started at $100 for the events, which struggled with attendance problems.
Further Reading
Trump Says He Is Unlikely to Get Covid-19 Vaccine Booster Shot (Wall Street Journal)
Here Are The Groups Who Don’t Want A Vaccine—And Trump Voters Are Near Top (Forbes)
The Conservatives Who’d Rather Die Than Not Own the Libs (Atlantic)
Trump And O’Reilly ‘History’ Tour Struggles With Low Attendance (Forbes)
Omicron Now Accounts For 3% Of U.S. Covid Cases — 7 Times Higher Than Week Ago (Forbes)
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