Singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo spoke briefly at the White House news conference Wednesday as part of an effort by the Biden administration to get more young people vaccinated against Covid-19.
"It's important to have conversations with friends and family members encouraging all communities to get vaccinated and actually get to a vaccination site," Rodrigo said, adding that she is "in awe" of the efforts by the Biden administration and Dr. Anthony Fauci.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the 18-year-old “traversed red lights and stop signs to see us,” in reference to the pop star’s record-breaking single “Drivers License.”
Rodrigo was at the White House to record videos encouraging vaccinations, a White House official said. The videos will be shared on her social media channels.
Her visit is part of an ongoing push by the administration to engage celebrities and social media influencers in encouraging vaccination.
President Joe Biden has previously said the emerging delta variant of Covid-19 is “particularly dangerous” to young people. Teenagers and Americans under age 25 have the lowest vaccination rates of those who are eligible in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.