First Lady Jill Biden takes pro-vaccination message to Hawaii
First Lady Jill Biden said “Aloha” to Hawaii over the weekend as she traveled home from a visit to Japan for the Olympics.
Biden planned to stop in Sunday at a high school vaccination site to encourage people to get jabbed and to attend a barbecue with military families at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, where she landed.
“I’m so excited to be here in your beautiful state,” Biden said upon her arrival, according to local media. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
Local leaders gave her a traditional lei of flowers to wear around her neck.
“Adding her voice to all of the local voices, I think, it just adds one more powerful message to get vaccinated,” Gov. David Ige, a Democrat, was quoted as saying.
Biden flew in Saturday on her plane, known as “Executive One Foxtrot,” after taking part in the Olympics opening ceremony, cheering on Team U.S.A. and meeting foreign dignitaries.
In Tokyo, Biden participated in a ceremony to name a bedroom at the U.S. diplomatic residence in honor of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii and his wife, Irene Hirano Inouye.
“This moment really is very special to me,” Biden said, according to KHON2. “My husband, President Biden, truly loved Danny Inouye. I’m really honored to be here.”
On her way to Japan last week, the first lady stopped in Anchorage to spread the pro-vaccination message.
Nearly 70% of Americans have gotten at least one vaccine dose, though the vaccination rate has been plummeting, alarming officials.
“Even as we celebrate the progress we’ve made, we know that this last push is really the hardest of all,” Biden said Wednesday at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.
She was set to fly back to Washington on Sunday afternoon.
