Washington, Dec 22: US President-elect Joe Biden on Monday publicly received the COVID-19 vaccine and said he was doing this to demonstrate that people should be ready to take the vaccine when it is available.

Biden received the first course of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at Christiana Care Hospital.

"I am doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared when it's available to take the vaccine. There's nothing to worry about," he said.

Tabe Masa, Nurse Practitioner and Head of Employee Health Services at ChristianaCare Hospital, administered the vaccine. Dr Jill Biden, having already received the first course of the vaccine earlier in the day, was also present on the occasion.

"Today, I received the COVID-19 vaccine. To the scientists and researchers who worked tirelessly to make this possible thank you. We owe you an awful lot," Biden said in a tweet.

"And to the American people know there is nothing to worry about. When the vaccine is available, I urge you to take it," he said.

"This is what leadership looks like," Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said in a tweet. She will publicly receive the vaccine next week.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



New Delhi (PTI): At least nine people were killed after a fire broke out in a residential building in east Delhi's Vivek Vihar early Sunday, officials said.

The incident was reported around 3.48 am at a four-storey building in Vivek Vihar Phase-I, following which police, fire and disaster management teams rushed to the spot.

According to the police, the blaze engulfed flats on the second, third and fourth floors of the building, prompting a large-scale rescue operation.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

"Around 10 to 15 people were rescued from the premises during the firefighting operation. Two of them, who sustained minor injuries, were shifted to the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital," a senior police officer said.

A total of 12 fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames, while teams from the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), traffic police and local police assisted in the rescue and evacuation efforts.

Police said the fire was brought under control after several hours.

The identities of the deceased are yet to be ascertained, and efforts are underway to determine the cause of the fire, police said.

Further investigation and proceedings are underway.