Biden to receive first dose of coronavirus vaccine on Monday

President-elect Joe Biden and incoming first lady Jill Biden will receive their first doses of the coronavirus vaccine publicly on Monday, according to his transition team.

Incoming White House press secretary Jen Psaki briefed reporters on the news in a call Friday. The development comes as other high-ranking government officials, including Vice President Pence and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) received the vaccine on Friday.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be getting her vaccine the week after Biden gets it, the transition team said, with medical experts advising that they stagger the first doses. 

Biden’s transition team announced on Thursday that Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.), a close adviser to the president-elect, had tested positive for the virus and will be quarantining for 14 days. 

Richmond and Biden were in Georgia earlier this week for campaign events, but transition spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield said their interactions “happened in open air, were masked and totaled less than 15 consecutive minutes, the CDC’s timeframe for close contact.”

“Richmond traveled to Georgia on his own and not with the President-elect,” Bedingfield said.

Biden tested negative for the virus on Thursday. 

The transition team said there was no change in the timing of his vaccination despite Richmond’s positive diagnosis.