Psaki shoots down idea that Republicans aren't getting vaccinated because Trump isn't getting enough credit for vaccines

• Psaki on Monday rebuffed the notion that Trump not getting credit is hindering vaccine rates.
• She pointed to data showing misinformation and conspiracy theories are fostering vaccine hesitancy.
• A recent spike in COVID-19 cases and deaths has been linked to the Delta variant and unvaccinated people.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Monday pushed back when asked whether giving former President Donald Trump more credit for the COVID-19 vaccine rollout would help increase the vaccination rate among hesitant people.

Psaki during Monday's White House press briefing was asked if the Biden administration would consider making more of an effort to acknowledge Trump's role in creating the vaccines to assure the rural voters who supported the former president that it's safe to get the shot.

"You're drawing a few conclusions there that I haven't seen in data," Psaki replied.

The White House press secretary said data suggests misinformation on the COVID-19 vaccine - including the conspiracy theory that microchips are in the vaccine - is what's behind the ongoing hesitancy among Republican voters to go get vaccinated.

Psaki on Monday was also asked if President Joe Biden might contact Trump and ask for help on vaccine outreach. She said the administration didn't feel that was necessary but that it welcomed anyone using their platform to promote getting vaccinated.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as top public health experts across the country, have repeatedly underscored that the COVID-19 vaccines available to Americans are safe and effective. The CDC has urged people to go get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Millions of Americans have been vaccinated, but there's recently been a rise in reported cases and deaths from the virus that's been fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant and unvaccinated people

"This is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said on Friday.

"Our biggest concern is we are going to continue to see preventable cases, hospitalizations, and sadly deaths among the unvaccinated," Walensky added, noting that unvaccinated people accounted for 97% of COVID-19 hospitalizations.