The number of COVID-19 vaccinated Americans is rising by the day, and many celebrities have shared pictures of themselves receiving a vaccine in the hope of inspiring others to do the same. The following public figures have all downplayed the pandemic at some point since its beginnings, yet surprisingly shared their vaccination status with the public.
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The former president allegedly received his COVID-19 vaccination before he left office, though was not photographed doing so. Trump was quoted as saying, "I would recommend it to a lot of people that don't want to get it and a lot of those people voted for me, frankly. But again, we have our freedoms and we have to live by that and I agree with that also. But it is a great vaccine. It is a safe vaccine and it is something that works."
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The former FLOTUS was reputed to be vaccinated along with her husband. Unlike her husband, Melania did not make a public statement about her vaccination status.
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The governor of Oklahoma was the first governor in the U.S. to test positive for COVID-19. He also refused a statewide mask mandate and rarely wore a mask himself for much of the past year. When it became available, the governor took the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. He was quoted, "I'm trying to lead by example. I think by me being here as the governor of a state like Oklahoma, hopefully I can encourage others to follow my lead. ... We think this is the right thing to do."
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Florida Senator Rubio was called out publicly for receiving his vaccine before first responders, especially after his criticism of Anthony Fauci. Rubio made claims that Fauci lied about masks and distorted how many vaccinations were needed for herd immunity. Rubio was also resistant to recommended shutdowns. Rubio posted himself on social media receiving a vaccine with the quote, "I am so confident that the #Covid19 vaccine is safe and effective so I decided to take it myself."
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The senator refused to be tested for COVID-19 before a debate and also publicly attended indoor political events maskless. Graham still was happy to get vaccinated as soon as possible, tweeting pics of himself receiving the shot and saying, "If enough of us take it, we will get back to normal lives.
The senator from Iowa was reputed to be skeptical of death numbers earlier in the pandemic, being quoted as saying, "These health care providers and others are reimbursed at a higher rate if COVID is tied to it, so what do you think they're doing?" Yet, Ernst received her COVID-19 shot in December 2020, posting on Twitter, "I encourage all Iowans and Americans to do the same when their time comes. Thanks to #OperationWarpSpeed and the tireless work of Americans across the country, we are one step closer to defeating this virus."
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The former Fox news talking head has been quoted for saying of COVID-19 deaths, "Many people who are dying, both here and around the world, were on their last legs anyway." Just months later, O'Reilly posted on his own website that he was on the hunt for a vaccine for himself.
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The former vice president and leader of the Trump administration's coronavirus task force publicly declared in June 2020 that there "wasn't a second wave" of COVID-19. In December 2020, Pence received his vaccination live on TV, saying, "We gather here today at the end of a historic week to affirm to the American people that hope is on the way," he told the crowd, after the number of newly recorded US coronavirus deaths surpassed 3,000 for the third day in a row.
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The leader boasted at a news conference on March 3, 2020 that he had been shaking hands with people at a hospital overloaded with coronavirus patients. Johnson went on to catch COVID-19, eventually ending up in intensive care. He received his first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine at London's St Thomas' hospital, the same place where he was treated for the virus.
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The former first daughter made a statement on social media when she posted a masked picture of herself receiving a Pfizer vaccination at a Florida CVS, with the quote, "Today I got the shot! I hope that you do too!" Back in December 2020, Ivanka was quoted as saying, "These blanket lockdowns are not grounded in science. These arbitrary rules imposed by callous politicians are destroying lives."
With more than 60,000 Americans dead at that point in the pandemic, Kushner, senior advisor/son-in-law to Trump and husband to Ivanka, was quoted as saying, ""This is a great success story, and I think that's really what needs to be told." Recently, Kushner reportedly waited in line at a CVS in Florida along with his wife to receive the jab, but did not publicly post photos of getting his shot.
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