President Joe Biden toured a mobile vaccine unit in North Carolina on Thursday while Jill Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci surprised people at a drive-up clinic in Florida.
The stops and photo ops were a team effort as the White House pushes its 'month of action' to get more shots in arms. The tour comes vaccination rates are declining in states in the South and Western parts of the country and the threat of the Delta variant is growing.
'It's the greatest threat against our fight to beat COVID-19,' Biden said of the Delta strain.
'The best way to protect yourself against the virus and its variants, is to be fully vaccinated,' the president said. 'The data couldn't be clear, if you're vaccinated, you're safe.'
'Just do it,' he said as the crowd cheered.
Biden also directed his remarks toward people of color where the vaccination rate is lower.
'The more we close the racial gap in the vaccination rates, the more lives we can save,' he said.
At the clinic, the president thanked medical staff and volunteers for their work getting shots in arms. He also spoke with four people waiting to get their shots, asking them their ages and thanking them for getting vaccinated.
President Biden was greeted with shouts of 'Uncle Joe' and 'We love you' when he made his remarks on the pandemic at the Green Road Community Center. The crowd, made of a volunteers to do canvassing efforts to get people vaccinated, was made up of mainly African Americans and Latinos. The president gave them a wave and thumbs' up.
Members of the Tampa Bay Lighting hockey team joined the first lady and Fauci in Tampa.
The message was to get vaccinated.
'Even when we're all really busy, we all can do our part,' Jill Biden said, referring to the Lightning being the Stanley Cup semifinals.
'There are some things that transcend even hockey,' she noted. 'Getting Americans vaccinated is one of them.'
She pointed out that people who get their vaccine that day can win tickets to Friday's game hockey game.
The first lady and Fauci were at a pop-up clinic at the hockey arena. Both ventured out onto the ice great people getting vaccinated.
'I wanted to be on the ice, and this is a unique experience. I’m so happy to be here,' Jill Biden said.
She also met a young girl who had her eight-month old service dog named Wilbur with her.
President Joe Biden told people 'just do it' when it comes to getting the COVID vaccine
Jill Biden met a young girl who had her eight-month old service dog named Wilbur with her
Jill Biden makes remarks during a vaccination event hosted by the Tampa Bay Lightning at AMALIE Arena, in Tampa
President Joe Biden, next to doctor Rasheeda Monroe, speaks with WakeMed vaccinators after visiting a mobile vaccination unit at the Green Road Community Center in Raleigh, N.C.
President Biden speaks with people waiting to get their COVID shot
Biden spoke to volunteers who are preparing to go out and canvass for the vaccine
First Lady Jill Biden and White House Chief Medical Adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci greet residents getting vaccinations at the Osceola Community Health Services drive-through
The first lady and Dr. Fauci were in Florida to encourage people to get vaccinated
Jill Biden and Dr. Fauci arrive to tour the pop-up clinic
Thursday marked an all-administration effort from Biden officials as the Delta variant causes concern among health officials about a potential surge in COVID cases.
Vice President Kamala Harris met virtually with local community groups and members that are doing the grassroots work to encourage vaccinations.
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy held a press call on the administration's efforts to get young people vaccinated.
The White House is pushing hard to raise vaccination rates - particularly among younger adults who have a lower one compared to older members of the population.
In North Carolina, 55 percent of adults have had one COVID shot, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
Officials are emphasizing the new Delta strain of COVID, which is 60% more contagious, and causing an increased number of coronavirus cases in some Southern and Western states.
The Delta variant is responsible for about one in five COVID cases in the U.S., and its prevalence has doubled in the last two weeks. The variant was first identified in India, where
