Pence urges public to get vaccinated if they can

Former Vice President Mike Pence is urging everyone to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, if you haven’t already according to Network Indiana.

Our news-gathering partners are reporting that Pence spoke to a group of conservatives at the Young America’s Foundation in Houston, Texas Wednesday night.

“Let me say this about the vaccine. I got the shot. My family got the shot. I want to encourage anyone here who is eligible to get the shot to go get it,” said Pence. “And if you’re not sure about it, go ask your doctor and get the very best advice that you can.”

Pence argued the vaccines should help prevent the U.S. from imposing economic restrictions like the ones that happened last year.

“As we do our part, each and every one of us, to put this pandemic in the past, we need to also stand firm on the principle that we can defeat this virus without lockdowns and mandates,” Pence said to applause. “We can protect the vulnerable and get our kids back to school. And we can keep America open without forfeiting our freedoms.”

Pence received his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine on camera in December. He was joined at the time by his wife and then-Surgeon General Jerome Adams. Pence was the governor of Indiana from 2013-2017. Adams was Indiana’s Health Commissioner from October 2014 until September 2017.

Pence led the White House coronavirus task force last year. He also talked about the success of Operation Warp Speed, the initiative under the Trump administration that cut regulatory red tape to rapidly develop and test the COVID-19 vaccines last year before they received emergency authorization from the FDA.