Vice President Mike Pence and president-elect Joe Biden are planning to publicly receive immunisations against Covid-19 to instil confidence in the vaccine.
Mr Pence and his wife Karen will be vaccinated at the White House on Friday, his office said.
The two will "publicly receive a Covid-19 vaccine to promote the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and build confidence among the American people", the office said.
US Surgeon General Jerome Adams will be vaccinated with them, and there is talk of broadcasting their inoculations on live TV, Axios reported.
President Donald Trump has said he and other White House officials would not be among the first to be vaccinated.
Mr Trump was infected with Covid-19 in October, but guidance from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says those who have recovered from Covid-19 can still be immunised.
Meanwhile, Mr Biden is planning to receive his vaccination next week, CNN and USA Today reported.
His transition team is working on how to broadcast his immunisation.
"I don't want to get before the line but I want to make sure we demonstrate to the American people that it is safe to take," Mr Biden said on Wednesday.
"When I do it I'll do it publicly, so you can all witness me getting it done."
Mr Biden said he would confidently receive the vaccine because of the recommendation from the country's top infectious diseases expert, Dr Anthony Fauci.
Dr Fauci gave his assurance on TV on Tuesday.
"You still want to protect people who are, you know, very important to our country right now," he told the ABC.
Dr Fauci also recommended that Mr Trump, Mr Pence and vice president-elect Kamala Harris be immunised.
The US is dealing with the world's largest and deadliest coronavirus outbreak, with 305,000 deaths recorded.
More than 200,000 Americans are infected each day and health centres are dealing with a record number of patients in hospital across the country.
The US has approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine and front-line healthcare workers will be among the first to be inoculated in the country.
The Moderna vaccine will be reviewed by a vaccine review panel at the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday and could receive approval as soon as that meeting concludes.
There is wavering trust in Covid-19 vaccines given how quickly it was produced and approved, and political leaders are hoping to encourage confidence by being immunised publicly.
Former presidents Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton have promised to receive their vaccines publicly as well.
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
India cancels school-leaving examinations
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
