President Joe Biden received his Covid-19 booster shot on Monday, days after public health officials began recommending boosters for many Americans, including those 65 and older and frontline workers.

The president, who is 78, was given his third dose on camera at the White House.

‘Let me be clear, boosters are important, but the most important thing we need to do is get more people vaccinated,’ Biden said during his remarks. ‘Over 77% of adults have gotten at least one shot. About 23% haven’t gotten any shots.’

‘This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated,’ he added.

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Biden vowed to continue moving forward with vaccination requirements wherever he can.

‘We know that to beat this pandemic and save lives, to keep our children safe, our schools open, our economy open, we need to get folks vaccinated,’ Biden said before taking off his coat to get the vaccine.

Taking a seat on stage the President answered questions reporters called out to him as he prepped for the shot. His tone remained steady while answering questions even as the needle went into his arm.

He said he experienced no side effects from both his first and second Pfizer dose.

Biden received his first two doses of the Pfizer vaccine before his inauguration in January.

When asked about the backlash the White House has received for encouraging boosters when many other countries around the world have struggled getting the first dose in people’s arms Biden responded that ‘we are doing more than every other nation in the world combined.’

The president has been urging Americans who are now eligible for a Covid-19 booster to get the added protection.

‘My message today is this: If you’ve got the Pfizer vaccine, you got the Pfizer vaccine in January, February, March of this year, and you’re over 65 years of age, go get the booster,’ he said on Friday.

‘Or, if you’re in a have a medical condition like diabetes, or you’re a frontline worker like a health care worker or a teacher, you can get a free booster.’

Last week, a panel of US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) advisors voted against allowing people to get a booster if they are aged 18 to 64 and are a health-care worker, teacher or in another job that puts them at an increased risk of being exposed to the virus.

Early Friday morning, CDC Director Dr Rochelle Walensky took measures a step further, overruling a recommendation from the panel that refused to endorse booster shots for all frontline workers between those ages.

Putting the recommendation back aligns with a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) booster authorization decision made earlier this week.

The category now covers people who live in institutional settings that increase their risk of exposure, such as prisons or homeless shelters, as well as healthcare workers.

People will be able to receive an extra dose once they are at least six months past their last Pfizer shot.

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