President Nelson and other eligible Latter-day Saint leaders receive COVID-19 vaccine

SALT LAKE CITY – President Russell M. Nelson, along with seven other senior leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday morning.

In Utah, where leaders received the vaccine, people aged 70 and older are eligible to receive the vaccine starting this week. Leaders who do not meet the required age have not yet been vaccinated, church officials said.

“We are grateful to the countless people who have done the work necessary to make this possible,” President Nelson, 96, wrote in a Tweeter. “We prayed for this godsend. Receiving the vaccine is part of our personal efforts to be good citizens of the world.”

President Nelson’s wife, Wendy, was also vaccinated along with the entire First Presidency and several members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

In all, President Dallin H. Oaks and his wife, Kristen, received the vaccine with President Henry B. Eyring, 87; President M. Russell Ballard, 92; Jeffrey R. Holland, 80, and his wife Patricia; Dieter F. Uchtdorf, 80, and his wife, Harriet; Quentin L. Cook, 80, and his wife Mary; D. Todd Christofferson, 75, and his wife, Kathy.

“I am glad that our turn has come to have this vaccination,” President Oaks said in a statement Tuesday morning. “We are optimistic that the general vaccination of the population will help us get ahead of this terrible pandemic. It’s encouraging, like the light at the end of the tunnel. There is relief and recognition for those who invented the vaccine and for those who made it generally available on a reasonable priority system. “

To date, three members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the church have tested positive for the novel coronavirus: Elder Gerrit W. Gong, 67, and his wife, Susan, in October; Dale G. Renlund, 68, and his wife, Ruth, in early December; and most recently Elder Ulisses Soares, 62, and his wife, Rosana.

The three elders and their wives have since recovered from the virus. According to the Utah Vaccine Deployment Plan, anyone who has tested positive for the virus cannot receive the vaccine within 90 days of infection.

Historically, the church has supported vaccinations and spoke about the importance of vaccination.

In 1978, the First Presidency urged members to protect children through immunization, and in recent years, the church’s humanitarian arm has funded vaccine distribution projects around the world.

Since 2002, Latter-day Saints charities have helped fund 168 projects in 46 countries to help about 116,819,870 people, church officials say.

Wendy and I were vaccinated against COVID-19 today. We are grateful to the countless people who did the work necessary to make this possible. We prayed for this literal windfall. Receiving the vaccine is part of our personal efforts to be good citizens of the world. pic.twitter.com/oZw5EgzkjQ

– Russell M. Nelson (@NelsonRussellM) January 19, 2021

Also on Tuesday, the First Presidency released a statement discussing the importance of vaccinations against preventable diseases, encouraging members to get vaccinated once they are eligible.

The full statement reads as follows:

“In word and deed, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has supported immunization for generations. As a major part of our humanitarian efforts, the Church has funded, distributed, and administered life-saving vaccines around the world. Vaccinations have helped curb or eliminate devastating communicable diseases, such as polio, diphtheria, tetanus, smallpox and measles. Vaccines administered by skilled health professionals protect health and preserve life.

“As this pandemic spread across the world, the Church immediately canceled meetings, closed temples, and restricted other activities due to our desire to be good citizens of the world and do our part to fight. against the pandemic.

“Today, COVID-19 vaccines that many have worked, prayed for, and fasted for are in development, and some are being provided. According to guidelines issued by local health authorities, vaccines were first offered to health workers, first responders, and others.Due to their age, senior Church leaders over the age of 70 are now happy to be vaccinated.

“As appropriate opportunities arise, the Church urges its members, staff, and missionaries to become good citizens of the world and help stop the pandemic by protecting themselves and others through immunization. Individuals are responsible for making their own decisions about vaccination. In making this decision, we recommend that, where possible, they consult a knowledgeable healthcare practitioner about their personal situation and needs. “

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