Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at a Vaccination Event at Amalie Arena with the Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay, Florida

Thank you, Dequitia – and thank you for getting your shot! 

Hello, everyone! Thanks for coming out.   

Before I begin, let me say, that like you, the President and I woke up to news out of Miami and our hearts were broken to learn of the life lost.  We are praying for all the families and the community of Surf Side. 

Mayor Castor and Representative Castor, thank you so much for joining us.  It’s great to see many good friends again.  

Thank you to the Tampa Bay Lightning for hosting us today — especially during your Stanley Cup Semifinals. See, even when you’re really busy, you can all do your part.

Jeff, thank you for putting together this incredible event and for your leadership of this team and this community. And thank you to your family for coming today, too.  

And congratulations on your success this season!  

Now, I’m a Philly girl through and through, so you might be asking: Dr. Biden, why would you betray your beloved Flyers by coming down to Florida and complimenting a rival team?  

Well, there are some things that transcend even hockey. And getting Americans vaccinated is one of them.  

Right now, nearly five in ten Floridians are fully vaccinated. And that’s just not enough. That’s why I wanted to come here today.  

Because we want everyone to be protected. Because your lives and your health matter to me and to your President.  

So, I’m here to ask everyone listening to get your shot.  

And to do that, I want to say three things to those who haven’t yet: Getting vaccinated is safe, effective, and free. Now, let me talk a little bit more about those.  

Number one: It’s safe. There’s misinformation out there—and people have come up to me and asked: How was this created so fast? Was it tested enough? 

I’m a teacher, and for me, everything is evidence-based. I wanted to be able to give them the best answers I could. So, I asked some experts.  

While these vaccines might be new, the research behind them isn’t at all. Scientists have been studying similar viruses and working on this type of vaccine for decades now—right, Dr. Fauci?  

So, when the pandemic started, they already had a blueprint ready to go.  

Today, these vaccines have been held to the very same safety standard as every other vaccine.  

Number two: It’s effective. This is important for your health. Studies show that they offer almost perfect protection against death and hospitalization.  

Number three: It’s free.  

Maybe with work and family, you don’t think you have time to go to a clinic. I want you to know that most places don’t require appointments—you can just walk up and get your shot. If you need a ride, Uber and Lyft are offering trips for free.  

And no matter where you live, there is a vaccination site close by. Just go to Vaccines.gov to find one.   

If you still have questions—that’s okay! Talk to your doctor or your local pharmacist. Parents, talk to your child’s pediatrician. This is your choice—so get the information you need.  

And, they don’t hurt. I promise, I barely felt mine. And I hate needles! Here in Tampa, you might even win tickets to Friday’s hockey game! So, do your part. Choose to get your shot. Spread the word.  

God bless you, Tampa, and go get vaccinated! 

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