Mar 19, 2021 - World

Boris Johnson receives first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine

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Photo: Frank Augstein-WPA Pool/Getty Images

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday received his first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and said he "did not feel a thing."

Why it matters: Public leaders around the world have gone live on air to receive their coronavirus jabs to boost confidence in the vaccines' efficacy. In the U.S., both President Biden and Vice President Harris received their vaccines on TV.

  • The AstraZeneca vaccine has struggled to earn widespread public trust due to a pause during clinical trials last September. The AstraZeneca vaccine was also halted in parts of Europe over concerns that patients who received the vaccine experienced blood clots.
  • The company announced last Sunday that a comprehensive review had found "no evidence" of its vaccine leading to an increased risk of blood clots.

What he's saying: "It was very good, it was very quick ... I cannot recommend it too highly," Johnson said.

  • "Everybody, when you do get your notification to go for a jab, please go and get it. It is the best thing for you, best thing for your family, for everybody else."
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