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- Trump's former press secretary Sarah Huckabee urged Americans to get "the Trump vaccine."
- The president has repeatedly claimed credit for the development of COVID-19 vaccines.
- The multiple vaccines on the market were developed by teams of scientists across the world.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders has urged Americans to take what she referred to as the "Trump vaccine," continuing a process by which Trump and his circle seek credit for the shots and their rollout.
It came after former President Donald Trump told supporters on Saturday he had "come up with" COVID-19 vaccines.
Trump has repeatedly insisted that he deserves the credit for the rollout of vaccinations across the US, citing his administration's Operation Warp Speed project which aimed to fast-track development and rollout of the shots.
Three coronavirus vaccines are currently approved for emergency use in the United States, including the Moderna vaccine which was developed using over $1 billion in US government funding.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which is the most widely used jab in the United States, was developed by a pair of Turkish-German scientists, and many others were also the result of global collaborative efforts between teams of scientists.
The Biden administration took over the vaccine program in January when he entered the White House. Most of the shots distributed in the United States have been given since then.
Sanders, Trump's former press secretary, urged readers in a column for Arkansas Online to take the coronavirus vaccine amid a rapid rise in new cases across the state.
Sanders, who is currently running for Arkansas governor, said she had decided to take a coronavirus vaccination after being "reassured after President Trump and his family were vaccinated."
"If getting vaccinated was safe enough for them, I felt it was safe enough for me," she said in the column.
-Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) July 25, 2021
Sanders said she had "determined that the benefits of getting vaccinated outweighed any potential risks" for herself. She didn't say which shot she received.
She also blamed the media for characterizing Operation Warp Speed as ineffective, arguing instead that it had resulted in many Americans mistrusting the vaccines.
"It's clear that the Trump vaccine works and is saving lives," she said.
The column, which was published on Sunday, came after Trump on Saturday repeated his claim that he had "come up with" COVID-19 vaccines.
"How about the vaccine?" he asked an audience at a rally in Arizona on Saturday.
"I came up with the vaccine. They said it would take 3 to 5 years. Gonna save the world. I recommend that you take it but I also believe in your freedoms 100%."
-Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 24, 2021
Sanders' comments come as infection rates soared across Arkansas, where the case rate is growing faster than any other state, according to the Associated Press.
Public health experts last week compared the virus surge to a "raging forest fire" and predicted mass outbreaks in schools.
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, on Sunday said he would continue to veto the introduction of a statewide mask mandate, per CNN.
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