Joe and Jill Biden use their Easter message to encourage Americans to get vaccinated

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden encouraged Americans to get their COVID-19 vaccines as part of their Easter Sunday message. 

‘We share the sentiments of Pope Francis, who has said that getting vaccinated is a moral obligation, one that can save your life and the lives of others,’ the president said in a video message posted to Twitter. ‘By getting vaccinated and encouraging your congregations and your communities to get vaccinated, we not only can beat this virus, we can also haste the day when we can celebrate the holidays together.’ 

On Friday, 40 per cent of U.S. adults had received at least their first jab of one of the COVID-19 vaccines and surpassed 100 million doses, which was Biden’s original vaccination goal. He’s since moved it to 200 million doses in his first 100 days in office.

First lady Jill Biden (left) and President Joe Biden (right) used their Easter message to push Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19 

First lady Jill Biden (right) leaves the White House with President Joe Biden (left) as the first couple traveled to Camp David for Easter weekend

First lady Jill Biden (right) leaves the White House with President Joe Biden (left) as the first couple traveled to Camp David for Easter weekend 

Donald Trump during Easter 2019 at the White House

The statement he released today

Donald Trump during Easter 2019 at the White House (left) and the statement he released on Easter Sunday 2021 (right) 

President Joe Biden will give Easter-themed remarks Monday, the day that is traditionally reserved for the White House Easter Egg Roll. The White House canceled this year's roll, but still sold egg - with mask-wearing rabbits and first dogs, Major and Champ

President Joe Biden will give Easter-themed remarks Monday, the day that is traditionally reserved for the White House Easter Egg Roll. The White House canceled this year’s roll, but still sold egg – with mask-wearing rabbits and first dogs, Major and Champ 

In his message, Biden, the country’s second Catholic president, called Easter the ‘most holy day’ and quoted the Bible. 

The message was starkly different in tone to what former President Donald Trump released Sunday through his Save America PAC. 

‘Happy Easter to ALL including the Radical Left CRAZIES who rigged our Presidential Election, and want to destroy our country!’ Trump wrote. 

There is no evidence of widespread election fraud. 

Biden began his message telling Americans thathe was aware that ‘many are still going without familiar comforts of the season.’ 

‘The virus is not gone and so many of us still feel the longing and the loneliness of distance,’ the president said. ‘For a second year, most will be apart from their families, their friends, full congregations that fill us with joy.’  

‘And yet as the gospel of John reminds us, the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it,’ the president continued. 

The first lady reminded the American public that, ‘The traditions of holy week take us on a journey from sorrow to salvation.’ 

Like the Easter story, she suggested that things are looking up. 

‘Today, as spring returns, we see hope all around us,’ Dr. Biden said.  

‘Families are getting the financial help they need to take a breath once again,’ the first lady said. ‘More and more Americans are getting life-saving vaccines.’    

As the Bidens encouraged Americans to seek out their Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson shots, Dr. Anthony Fauci warned of a ‘disturbing surge’ of COVID-19 cases, with more than 60,000 new cases alone on Saturday. 

‘This is not going to last forever,’ Fauci said. 

‘Double down, just hang in there a bit longer, and the vaccinations of people in this country are going to override the surge of the virus. The vaccine is going to win out,’ Fauci said, adding that it’s ‘not going to be easy.’  

The first family was spending Easter weekend at Camp David – so the president did not attend a public church service as he has on Sundays in Wilmington and Washington, D.C. 

Instead of the traditional Easter Egg Roll at the White House on Monday, the president is expected to deliver an Easter-themed speech. 

The Easter Egg roll was canceled for a second year in a row due to the coronavirus pandemic, however the White House sold collectable Easter Eggs that featured masked bunnies and first dogs, Champ and Major Biden.