Al Roker Gets Covid-19 Vaccine Live On ‘Today’ Show – Watch

Today show weatherman Al Roker has received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine live on-air.

As part of Today’s continuing series “Vaccinating America”, Roker pulled up his sleeve Tuesday and received the Pfizer coronavirus vaccination, administered by NYC’s Lenox Hill Hospital nurse Jessica Callard. Before he received the shot, Roker explained that at age 66, he is eligible for the vaccine, but it wasn’t easy to get an appointment. “Kept logging in, logging in,” all weekend on the online booking system. “Sunday morning, I finally got assigned here to Lenox Hill Hospital. It was a constant—I kept hitting refresh, refresh on the browser and finally got in guys…luck of the draw.”

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Roker spoke with Dr. Daniel Baker at Lenox Hill, who reassured Roker and viewers that the vaccine is safe. Baker also stressed the importance of continuing to wear a mask even after getting vaccinated.

“That’s actually a key component of keeping us all safe,” Baker explained. “We’re not going to know who has had the vaccine. We’re also going to take some time in terms of getting up to enough people to where we can really take these masks off. So, mask wearing is going to be with us for some time now.”

Baker also told Roker side effects from the vaccine are minimal, similar to the flu shot, and that he would likely feel some soreness in this arm. “You’re going to be up and on the Today show tomorrow morning, no problem,” said Baker.

Today‘s parent company, Comcast NBCUniversal, is preparing to launch an interactive website, PlanYourVaccine.com, with information “about getting a Covid-19 vaccination based on where you live, when you are eligible to get the shots in your state, the distribution timeline, how much the vaccine costs, and more.” You can sign up for the interactive site here.

You can watch the clip below.

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