Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, gives a thumbs-up after receiving his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at the National Institutes of Health on December 22, 2020, in Bethesda, Maryland. | Patrick Semansky/Getty Images

Up to half of Americans are expressing vaccine skepticism as political leaders work to alleviate concerns by taking the vaccine publicly.

Dr. Anthony Fauci has been vaccinated, receiving his first dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine on live TV Tuesday morning.

“I feel extreme confidence in the safety and the efficacy of this vaccine, and I want to encourage everyone who has the opportunity to get vaccinated,” he said moments before receiving the injection.

Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, became a household name as a member of the White House’s coronavirus task