By Steve Klamkin WPRO News

Pointing to the full approval given by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to the Pfizer covid vaccine, Governor Dan McKee urged those hesitant until now to get vaccinated.

“We need every single eligible Rhode Islander to get vaccinated to keep our families safe,” McKee said at his Thursday covid update, held at a Providence pharmacy.

“So, talk to your friends and family. Remind them of the FDA approval and offer to go with them to get vaccinated. Come right down here and get ’em an ice cream cone,” said McKee, at the Green Line Apothecary.

Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos issued a heartfelt appeal to urge people to take the vaccination, portraying herself as the mother of children too young to be vaccinated, and the daughter of parents sickened by covid.

“We need to make sure that we are protecting the kids who are going to school starting this week and next week, and we can do our part,” Matos said.

“So please, I just want to remind you that getting the vaccine, you’re going to be saving the lives of your loved ones or those closer to you,” she said.

McKee and Rhode Island Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott praised Rhode Island pharmacies in general, and Green Line in particular for their work in providing vaccinations and other aid in the more than year long pandemic.

Dr. Alexander-Scott highlighted steps that small businesses can take to help counter the rising covid variants, including policies to require indoor masking, requiring vaccinations, accessing testing programs and having adequate ventilation within businesses. Steps, she said, “to help keep your case rates down.”

“Helping to ensure employee and customer safety also helps improve customer confidence, so our businesses can continue to thrive and stay open,” she said.

With federal jobless benefits due to run out at the end of next week, the governor says he will not use excess recovery funds to extend the benefits. Instead, he will use the funds to bolster job training programs.