Vice President Pence gets COVID vaccine on TV, says 'happy to step forward'

Vice President Mike Pence on Friday morning got a coronavirus vaccine shot at a televised White House event in an effort to encourage Americans to get inoculated from the virus.

Pence received the shot along with second lady Karen Pence and U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams.

"Well done," Pence said after getting the shot. "I didn't feel a thing. Karen and I are happy to step forward. ... This is truly an inspiring day."

He was inoculated after the Food and Drug Administration last week approved a vaccine by Pfizer-BioNTech under emergence-use provisions and the first Americans, including front-line health-care workers, on Monday got the first shots in the U.S.

"We have a safe and effective vaccine, said Pence, who wore a short-sleeved shirt for the shot. "I'm confident we'll get through this (pandemic). We will get through this together."