Harris thinks of the ‘full circle’ moment after receiving the vaccine dose at the NIH, where her late mother regularly visited

Harris thinks of the ‘full circle’ moment after receiving the vaccine dose at the NIH, where her late mother regularly visited

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‘I have the luxury of being here at the moment only on the fifth day of our government – to get in full circle, because NIH was such a big part of my youth like this place that my mother went all the time and was very excited to work, ”Harris recalls moments after receiving her shot.

Harris’ mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a breast cancer researcher who had “two goals in her life,” the vice president said: “Raising her two daughters and ending breast cancer. cleaning pipettes in my mother’s lab. ‘

Gopalan, who raised her daughters as a single mother, passed away in 2009. Harris regularly recalls her mother’s profound influence on her life, as well as outside of politics. After becoming the first black and South Asian woman to be nominated for a major party presidential card this summer, Harris said, “I know she’s looking down on me from above.”

Commenting on NIH employees Tuesday as she reflected on her mother’s passion for science, Harris added: “The importance of NIH is that this is an essential function of government, namely to take care of public health.”

“The work that is going on here has one purpose: to improve public health. And the importance of striving for the work that is going on at NIH is that it is not about profit. It is about the people. And that is why I want to “Everyone knows what works here. I know who you are. I know what you do,” she continues.

“I know you work 24 hours a day with the experiments that need to be checked every few hours, and they don’t care what time it is. I know the work you do and the collaboration you need.”

Harris also received her first dose of vaccine on camera last month. She reiterated on Tuesday that the shot was “really quite painless” and urged everyone “to take the vaccine if it is your turn.”

“It will save your life. Thank you to everyone who does this great and important work. Let’s make sure everyone gets the vaccine. On behalf of President Biden and myself, I thank you for everything you do every day.”

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