Mitch McConnell
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
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  • Mitch McConnell announced on Monday that he received a 3rd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • "It was an easy decision to receive a booster," McConnell said, noting that he's survived polio.
  • The CDC authorized booster shots for a wide swath of Americans on Friday.
  • See more stories on Insider's business page.

Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced during a floor speech on Monday that he has received a third dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, immediately following President Biden doing the same thing.

"I'm glad to share that a few minutes ago I received a booster vaccination for COVID-19," McConnell said as he began his speech. "All throughout the pandemic, I've followed the best advice from experts, and especially from my own healthcare providers."

"It was an easy decision to receive a booster," he continued. "I'm a survivor of childhood polio from before vaccines… eradicated that disease here in our country, and around the world now. So I've been a lifelong champion of vaccinations."

Before moving on to stating the GOP's position on keep the government open, McConnell reiterated his call for Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

"All Americans should speak with their doctors and get vaccinated," he said.

He later posted a photo on Twitter announcing that he'd received the booster, holding up a vaccine card that had three lines filled in.

This is not the first time McConnell has strongly advocated for vaccines. In July, the senator began airing pro-vaccine radio ads in Kentucky in a bid to boost vaccination rates amid Republican hesitance.

In the last couple of months, a handful of fully-vaccinated senators have gotten "breakthrough" infections, including Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, John Hickenlooper of Colorado and Angus King of Maine.

McConnell apparently got his booster shot on the same day as President Biden, who received his third shot on live TV earlier on Monday.

The booster vaccinations come following a Friday decision by Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to overrule her agency's own advisors to expand eligibility for a Pfizer booster to more adults. Many who received the Pfizer vaccine more than 6 months ago are now eligible to go get a third shot.

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