Trump to Candace Owens: “People aren’t dying when they take the vaccine”

Former President Trump pushed back against doubts about the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines during an interview with conservative media personality Candace Owens released Wednesday.

Why it matters: Despite being vaccinated himself, Trump has sometimes given mixed signals to his supporters on whether they should take the shot. Trump-supporting communities, meanwhile, have seen markedly lower vaccination rates.

• The former president was clearer about the benefits of vaccination this week when he revealed in an interview with Bill O'Reilly that he received a booster shot.

What he's saying: Trump told Owens he opposes mandates but touted the benefits of the shot. He called it "one of the greatest achievements of mankind."

Donald Trump: I came up with three vaccines — all are very, very good. I came up with three of them in less than nine months. ....

Candace Owens: And yet more people have died under COVID this year, by the way, under Joe Biden than under you. And more people took the vaccine this year, so people are questioning how —

Trump: Oh, no. The vaccine worked. But some people aren't taking it. The ones that get very sick and go to the hospital are the ones that don't take the vaccine.

But i'ts still their choice, and if you take the vaccine, you're protected. Look, the results of the vaccine are very good, and if you do get it, it's a very minor form. People aren't dying when they take the vaccine."

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has called it "your patriotic duty" to get vaccinated.