Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff visits Chicago, promotes COVID vaccine

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, was in Chicago Wednesday, promoting COVID vaccination.

Emhoff's first stop was at It's Official Barbershop in Englewood. With rarely an empty chair, the shop has been the site of vaccination events. Emhoff chatted with owner Channal Coleman about vaccine hesitancy in the community and thanked her for her role in talking people into it.

"We hear about Englewood and everyone is scared to come to Englewood, and he wasn't afraid to come to Englewood, so I think it's getting some attention," she said.

White House attention on Englewood is on purpose; the South Side neighborhood has the lowest vaccination rate in the city.

Traveling with Emhoff was senior policy advisor Dr. Cameron Webb, who said the Biden administration Is very concerned about the Delta variant.

"We know it can spread quickly in a neighborhood or a community that has low vaccination rates," Webb said.

Webb and Enhoff's second stop was an Esperanza Health Center vaccination site.

"This is not a political issue. Vaccines are about us, it's about our community," Enhoff said.

In an orchestrated event, the second gentleman met with volunteers and then distracted 1-2year-old Kendrick Guadarrma while he got his second shot.

With his new job, Emhoff said he has spent most of his time on the road, and reports what the community says back to his wife, Vice President Harris.

"I'm married to the vice president, so when we have dinner, you know, 'Hey honey, how was your day?' 'Well...'" he said.

And he'll have plenty to tell her after today.