First Lady Pool Reports of June 24, 2021

FLOTUS pool #1 - Pool gathered at WH

Good morning from a warm but pleasant, sunny morning at the White House.

I'll be your pooler for the First Lady's trip to Florida today, part of the administration's vaccine tour this month.

Pool has been tested and is loaded in a press van, waiting to leave for Joint Base Andrews. Our departure was moved up slightly due to summer afternoon storms expected in Florida.

Please feel free to reach out with questions.

As a reminder, here's the guidance for today's trip:

On Thursday, June 24, First Lady Jill Biden will travel to Kissimmee and Tampa, Florida where she will visit COVID-19 vaccine sites and encourage everyone in these communities to get vaccinated. These trips are part of the Administration's nation-wide tour to reach millions of Americans who still need protection against the virus, highlight the ease of getting vaccinated, and mobilize grassroots vaccine education and outreach efforts.

At 1:30 PM ET, the First Lady will arrive at Orlando International Airport. This arrival is open press and registration is closed.

At 2:00 PM ET, the First Lady will visit a drive-through vaccination site in Kissimmee, FL at Osceola Community Health Services. This visit is open press and registration is closed. Floridians are encouraged to get vaccinated at this event and REGISTER HERE.

At 4:15 PM ET, the First Lady will arrive at Tampa International Airport. This arrival is open press and registration is closed.

At 4:45 PM ET, the First Lady will join the Tampa Bay Lightning for a vaccination event at AMALIE Arena. This event is open press and registration is closed. Floridians are encouraged to get vaccinated at this event and REGISTER HERE.

FLOTUS pool #2 - Dr. Fauci joining

Dr. Anthony Fauci will join FLOTUS today in Florida.

More details on trip participants/background to come.

FLOTUS pool #3 - JBA arrival and wheels up

Pool arrived at JBA at 11:01 AM.

FLOTUS exited her car wearing a coral skirt set and tan slingback heels.

She was greeted by a woman in a turquoise pant suit, who she shook hands with before boarding the plane.

We are soon to be wheels up for Orlando at 11:12.

Here's background and participants for the first stop:

The First Lady and Dr. Anthony Fauci will tour a drive-through COVID-19 vaccination clinic in the parking lot of Osceola Community Health Services, a nonprofit federally qualified health center in Kissimmee, Florida. FLOTUS will also greet with several leaders from local community-based organizations that have been working to get more people vaccinated. She will continue to highlight the ease of getting vaccinated, mobilize vaccination outreach efforts, and encourage Floridians to get vaccinated. FLOTUS will be joined by Rep. Darren Soto (D, FL-09) and Mrs. Amanda Soto, Rep. Soto's wife

FLOTUS, Dr. Fauci, and Rep. Soto will take a two-stop tour of the clinic:
• Medical Mobile Unit
• Drive-through area (registration, vaccination, and observation)
After that, FLOTUS, Dr. Fauci, and Rep. Soto will greet with community leaders and learn about their COVID-19 vaccination outreach efforts. They will then give a press statement.

At today's clinic, adolescents (ages 12-18) will receive a Pfizer vaccine and adults (ages 18+) can choose either a Moderna or J&J vaccine.

FLOTUS pool #4 - Orlando arrival

We landed at Orlando International Airport at 1:07 after a largely uneventful flight. CNN was playing on the plane as the infrastructure news broke.

FLOTUS and Dr. Fauci stepped out of the plane at 1:15 and were greeted by Rep. Darren Soto and his wife, Amanda Soto.

We are rolling for Osceola Community Health Services at 1:20.

FLOTUS pool #5 - Kissimmee vaccination event

Pool arrived in Kissimmee, FL at the Osceola Community Health Services drive-through vaccination event at 1:42.

The press van's driver told the pool that there were more than 60 motorcycles accompanying the FLOTUS motorcade on the Florida Turnpike.

One person at the entrance to the drive-through event held up anti-vaccination signs.

A long line of cars snaked through the parking lot up to the mobile clinic at the front, where a long line of tables covered in black cloth were arranged to display large letters reading VACCINES.GOV. Will tweet some photos.

FLOTUS and Dr. Fauci met with the director of Osceola Community Health Services outside of the portable clinic, along with Rep. Soto and his wife. FLOTUS wore a brown mask with white polka dots.

They then met with masked and shielded health care workers administering the vaccines before saying hello to the first car in line, a white Range Rover, and taking a selfie with the woman in the passenger seat before she got the shot. Pool was too far to hear their conversation.

"Let's do this girl," the health care worker said before giving the shot. FLOTUS spoke with the woman's son in the back and then waved as the car drove away.

"This is Dr. Fauci," FLOTUS said as she introduced herself to the next car.

FLOTUS then held the hand of the next woman to get the shot, who was in the driver's seat. The health care worker spoke to the woman in Spanish beforehand to explain the process. "Don't lose this card," she told her.

After walking away from the car, FLOTUS turned around to the press and opened her arms, saying "See how easy that was?!"

FLOTUS and Dr. Fauci walked inside Osceola Community Health Services at 2:10, where she's set to give remarks outside afterward.

FLOTUS pool #6 - FLOTUS remarks, comments on Miami building

At 2:33, Rep. Darren Soto spoke first, thanking FLOTUS and Dr. Fauci for being in Central Florida.

Please double check quotes:

"While our Central Florida economy is coming back, our vaccination rates are still too low," he said, noting 63% of eligible residents in the county have gotten the shot.

Dr. Fauci spoke next: "We're going to get as many people vaccinated well beyond his goal."

"Vaccination is the solution, historically it has been the solution."

FLOTUS took the podium at 2:39 PM, first speaking about the building collapse in Surfside: "I would like to say how saddened the president and I were to hear about the building in Miami that crumbled."

"Our hearts are with all Floridians today."

"I'm here to ask anyone who's listening ... to please go and get your shot."

"I'm a teacher and everything I do is evidence based." "I asked some of the experts, and I was surprised to learn that while these vaccines might be new, the research behind them is not."

"But if you still have questions, and you may, that's okay. Call your doc." "This is your choice, get informed."

"Last of all, God bless you all and go get vaccinated."

We are headed for the Orlando airport as of 2:46.

FLOTUS pool #7 - Wheels up for Tampa

FLOTUS' motorcade arrived at the Orlando airport at 3:12. She boarded the plane at 3:14.

We are wheels up for Tampa shortly after 3:20.

Here's the background on that stop:

FLOTUS and Dr. Anthony Fauci will tour a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination, "Shots on Ice," clinic hosted by the Tampa Bay Lightning National Hockey League (NHL) team in Tampa, Florida, and encourage Floridians to get vaccinated. The Lightning, along with its health partner AdventHealth, is hosting a vaccination event at its home arena, AMALIE Arena. Floridians are invited to get vaccinated on the ice and take photos with the team mascot, ThunderBug, and the Zamboni. Mr. Jeff Vinik, owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning, will give an overview of the Tampa Bay Lightning's COVID-19 response efforts, including their vaccination efforts.

FLOTUS will take a three-stop tour of the clinic:
• Registration area
• Vaccination area
• Observation area
After that, she will give remarks.

BACKGROUND
AdventHealth is the health partner that is administering vaccines at Thursday's clinic. This event is part of the Together Tampa Bay initiative, a collaboration between the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County and local health care providers that focuses on facilitating the distribution of information on, as well as access to, the COVID-19 vaccine in the Tampa Bay community. Although the Tampa Bay Lightning and AdventHealth have offered vaccines at the arena before, this will be the first clinic taking place on the ice. There will be Pfizer vaccines and Johnson & Johnson vaccines available for free. Patients will be able to choose which vaccine they will get on-site the day of the event.

FLOTUS pool #8 - Tampa arrival

FLOTUS' plane landed at the Tampa International Airport at 3:45 PM. She and Dr. Fauci exited the plane at 3:56.

Rep. Kathy Castor was the first to greet them, and they spoke for about three minutes. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor then spoke with them briefly.

We are rolling to Amalie Arena as of 4:02 PM.

FLOTUS pool #9 - Amalie Arena arrival

Motorcade arrived at Amalie Arena at 4:18.

About three people outside of the arena made thumbs down signs at the vans, one woman wearing a T-shirt that said "Masks are slavery."

We are waiting at a registration area, where FLOTUS is set to start her tour of the site here, which includes a vaccination area on the ice.

FLOTUS pool #10 - Tour of vaccine site at Amalie

FLOTUS and Dr. Fauci entered the registration area, which sits just outside the rink, at 4:41.

She spoke to a young woman at registration who explained why she's here: "Because I wanted to be on the ice, and this is a unique experience. I'm so happy to be here."

"Thanks for doing this," FLOTUS said.

"Thanks for being part of the solution," Dr. Fauci said.

Press moved on to the ice, where Rep. Charlie Crist was waiting. Rep. Castor and Mayor Castor are also here.

"Are you afraid? Are you okay?" She asked another woman ready to get her shot, whose name we couldn't hear. She then turned to the press and asked "Are you guys all ready to cheer?"

"Hopefully we'll have more shots on the ice here tomorrow night," Rep. Castor said, referring to Game 7.

FLOTUS went over to greet a young girl in the waiting area and pet an eight-month old service dog named Wilbur who was with her. "Anybody need therapy?" she asked the crowd.

She and Dr. Fauci then spoke with TB Lightning Jeff Vinik.

FLOTUS pool #11 - Remarks at Amalie

Remarks began at 4:53, with Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik welcoming Dr. Fauci and Dr. Biden.

Dr. Fauci began speaking at 4:58, please check quotes:

"The president himself is excited about our being here. It's a great honor to be here."

"Everyone who gets vaccinated and everyone who injects a vaccine into someone's arm is a very, very important part of the solution."

Dr. Fauci introduced Nikita Parker, the woman who got her vaccine earlier with FLOTUS standing by.

FLOTUS took the podium at 5:02.

"Our hearts were broken to learn of the life lost," in Miami she said. "We are praying for all of the families and the community of Surfside."

"Even when we're all really busy, we all can do our part," she said, referring to the Lightning being the Stanley Cup semifinals.

"There are some things that transcend even hockey." "Getting Americans vaccinated is one of them."

"Today, these vaccines are held to the same safety standards as every other vaccine you've ever gotten."

She noted that people who get their vaccine today can win tickets to Friday's game. The people in the waiting area/audience gave her a standing ovation when she finished.

Pool was ushered out at 5:10 and is now loaded in vans for the airport.

FLOTUS pool #12 - Leaving Tampa

Motorcade arrived at the Tampa airport at 5:33. It was raining, so pool did not see FLOTUS when she boarded.

We are wheels up for JBA shortly at 5:40 PM.

FLOTUS pool #13 - JBA arrival

FLOTUS' plane landed at JBA at 8:03 PM.

She deplaned at 8:14 wearing a beige trench coat and walked straight to her car.

Pool spotted a Kam Air plane parked at JBA, an Afghan airline.

Rolling for the White House at 8:17 PM.

FLOTUS pool #14 - WH arrival

FLOTUS' motorcade arrived on the south side of the White House at 8:36. Pool did not see FLOTUS go inside.

That's it from your pooler for the day — good night all!