Vice President Harris received her second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md.

Harris urged all Americans to get the vaccine when it's available to them, and thanked the NIH employees for their work.

"The importance of NIH is that this is about an essential function of government, which is to provide for the public health. The work that happens here has one goal, to improve public health. And the importance of the pursuit of the work that happens at NIH, is that it's not about profit. It's about the people," Harris said.

"These scientists, these medical professionals ... created something that will save your life, and the life of your family and the community,"  Harris said through two face masks. "It was really pretty painless, and it will save your life."

Harris reiterated President Biden's goal of distributing 100 million shots in 100 days, a goal most experts say is an underpromise, and far less than what is needed to tame the pandemic.

"We're going to get 100 million vaccinations in 100 days and then we're going to do what is necessary to improve the health and wellbeing of our country," Harris said. 

Harris's husband Doug Emhoff will also receive a shot today.

Harris received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine at the end of December at United Medical Center in Southeast Washington, D.C. The medical center serves residents of Wards 7 and 8, which represent the largest population of African American residents of D.C.