US President-elect Joe Biden receives Covid vaccine live on TV

Coronavirus digest: Joe Biden receives vaccine as US surpasses 18 million cases

The US president-elect said he wanted to show the American people that "there's nothing to worry about" regarding vaccines. The UK has added Brazil to its high-risk travel list. Follow DW for the latest on COVID-19.

US President-elect Joe Biden has received the first of two injections against the coronavirus as he told Americans "there's nothing to worry about."

Biden took the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine live on television at a hospital not far from his Delaware home. He declined the option to count to three before the shot, telling the nurse she could "just go ahead" when ready. 

The politician emphasized the safety of the vaccine, and even praised President Donald Trump, saying the current administration "deserves some credit" for getting the vaccine distribution "off the ground."

"I'm doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared, when it's available, to take the vaccine," he said.

He added that distributing the vaccine is "going to take time.''Meanwhile, he urged citizens to wear masks and avoid unnecessary travel over the Christmas period.

Biden took the dose as the United States surpassed 18 million cases, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.