Trump Urged To Encourage His Supporters To Take Vaccine

The top US infectious disease expert says it would be “a game-changer” if ex-President Donald Trump encouraged Republicans to get the Covid vaccine.

“It will make all the difference in the world,” Dr Anthony Fauci told Fox News Sunday. “He’s a very widely popular person among Republicans.”

A recent US opinion poll showed as many as 49% of Republican male supporters did not want to get vaccinated.

Mr Trump last month said “everybody, go get your shot” at a conservative forum.

It was the first time he publicly encouraged Americans to do so. He has not commented on the issue since then.

Mr Trump, who was privately vaccinated in January, was absent when four other ex-presidents – Barack Obama, George W Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter – appeared last week in a public service announcement for the vaccination.