White House offers to answer Nicki Minaj’s questions about COVID vaccine

The White House has reportedly offered to answer questions that Nicki Minaj has about the COVID-19 vaccine after she expressed skepticism about the shot on social media earlier this week.
CBS News White House reporter Fin Gómez on Wednesday evening reported that a White House official had said, “As we have with others, we offered a call with Nicki Minaj and one of our doctors to answer questions she has about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.“
New—White House response on @NICKIMINAJ tweet:
“ As we have with others, we offered a call with Nicki Minaj and one of our doctors to answer questions she has about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. “ https://t.co/QKPk2sBVRY— Fin Gómez (@finnygo) September 16, 2021
Earlier on Monday, Minaj said on Twitter that she had been invited to visit the White House, calling it “a step in the right direction.”
“The White House has invited me & I think it’s a step in the right direction,” she said. “Yes, I’m going. I’ll be dressed in all pink like Legally Blonde so they know I mean business. I’ll ask questions on behalf of the ppl who have been made fun of for simply being human.”
The White House has invited me & I think it’s a step in the right direction. Yes, I’m going. I’ll be dressed in all pink like Legally Blonde so they know I mean business. I’ll ask questions on behalf of the ppl who have been made fun of for simply being human. #BallGate day 3 https://t.co/PSa3WcEjH3
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) September 15, 2021
The Hill has reached out to the White House for further comment.
Earlier this week, Minaj sparked a wave of incredulous comments on social media when she disclosed that she had contracted COVID-19 earlier this year and was still unsure about getting vaccinated. Her account of cousin’s friend getting vaccinated and experiencing testicular swelling and impotence caused many Twitter users to mock her reasons for not getting vaccinated.
My cousin in Trinidad won’t get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding. So just pray on it & make sure you’re comfortable with ur decision, not bullied
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) September 13, 2021
Chief White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci responded to the rapper’s concerns on Tuesday, stating that there is no evidence that a COVID-19 vaccine can cause such symptoms.
“There’s no evidence that it happens, nor is there any mechanistic reason to imagine that it would happen, so the answer to your question is no,” said Fauci. “She should be thinking twice about propagating information that really has no basis except a one-off anecdote, and that’s not what science is all about.”
Her remarks have also resulted in responses from health officials from her home country of Trinidad and Tobago as well as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Trinidadian Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said his office had “wasted so much time yesterday running down this false claim,” adding that he felt it was “sad” that health officials had spent time on this matter.
Johnson was asked about Minaj’s remarks on Tuesday, though he admitted that he was “not familiar with the works, or as familiar with the works of Nicki Minaj as I probably should be.” He added that he preferred to listen to musical artist who promote getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
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