With vaccines being rolled out all across the world, government officials are working on raising awareness on the importance of getting vaccinated and staying safe. In one such instance, U.S President Joe Biden and Director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci joined a YouTube Townhall – alongside prominent social media influencers – on May 24 in order to discuss and answer important questions surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. Featured guest influencers present at the session included Manny MUA, Jackie Aina and the Brave Wilderness.
I know folks have a lot of questions about the COVID-19 vaccines, so Dr. Fauci and I hosted a YouTube Town Hall with Manny Mua, Brave Wilderness, and Jackie Aina to answer them. Make sure to tune in for the premiere: https://t.co/aT1AMlim3Z pic.twitter.com/GBMTYJsNIT
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 24, 2021
During the session, Manny MUA questioned Biden on the possibility of a vaccine passport that will allegedly be required for travel. Biden revealed that vaccines passports are only a rumor aimed at increasing “paranoia” amongst the younger generations. Biden also revealed that there will be a government partnership with Uber and Lyft – which will provide free rides to vaccination centers until July 4
On a lighter note, Manny MUA asked about the president’s go-to skincare product if he were to be stranded on an island. Biden replied:
“I happen to be Irish, so I think my wife, before I headed to that island, would tell me that ‘You’d better bring some sunscreen.’ I think that’s the one product I would bring”.
Brave Wilderness inquired about the uncertainty felt by families trying to get their children vaccinated and how they can be ensured about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine. Moreover, the session also touched on the U.S.’s upcoming summer travel plans for its citizens and that travel could significantly open up depending on the number of those vaccinated.
In the Q&A session with Aina, Biden pleaded to viewers to take the vaccine as a moral obligation to other citizens:
“One of the things that I think is important is that if people understand the science of it[the COVID-19 vaccine] and why we think this is so important, they are more inclined to think not just about themselves but think about other people…I think it forces a person to be more introspective and decide ‘do i have an obligation to get this, even though i feel pretty secure i’m not gonna get it[COVID-19]’, ‘do i have an an obligation to get the vaccine because i just learned in science that you can be a carrier in effect without knowing’”
In closing, the YouTube TownHall asked its viewers to stick together and support each other during these trying times.
“All politics aside, we felt the chance to hear from our President directly on such an important matter was the right thing to do. We know some of you won’t agree with this but if it helps even one of our audience members, even a single one of you, it was all worth it. There are moments when the matter at hand is much bigger than ourselves or our content, this was one of them”.