Former prime ministers quietly line up with the crowds for their COVID-19 shots

Canada's former prime ministers have started getting their COVID-19 vaccinations asthe country continues its slow march towardfull immunization.

Both Jean Chrtien, 87, and Joe Clark, 81, got their shots in Ottawa this week. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson tweetedout a photo of Chrtien being vaccinated.

"I feel like there is something very Canadian about our leaders lining up with everyone else to get their COVID-19 vaccine," Watson tweeted.

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney, 82, has also hadhis first shot of the vaccine.

These low-key vaccinevisitsby former prime ministers arequitedifferent from the very publicshow former U.S. presidents have made of getting their shots.

Former U.S. presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, along with their first ladies, have received their shots in the full glare of themedia. They'realso taking partin a national campaign aimed at encouraging other Americans to get vaccinated.

"Right now, the COVID-19 vaccines are available to millions of Americans and soon they will be available to everyone," Bush said in a YouTube video promoting vaccine use that came out earlier this month.

"This vaccine means hope. It will protect you and those you love from this dangerous and deadly disease," Obama said in the same video clip.

Former prime ministers Paul Martin, 82, and Stephen Harper, 61, have yet to respond to questions from CBC News about their vaccination plans.

"No, I haven't yet been vaccinated. Yes, I am hoping to be,"formerPMKim Campbell, 74, told CBC News.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, 49, has not had his shots yet. He saidhe's waiting for a moment of maximum impact.

"I can only get my first vaccine once, and the moment I choose to do that should be a moment where it encourages the most possible people to get it," Trudeau said recentlyon Peter Mansbridge's The Bridge podcast.

Trudeau said that while his government has seen polling suggesting that some Canadians are hesitant to accept thevaccine, he has yet to see that emerge as a threat to the vaccination campaign. He said that oncemore people have been vaccinated, including the elderly and front line workers, he mighttry to set a public example.

"Maybe me getting a vaccine and others visibly getting a vaccine at that moment, saying,'Now's the time to get it, you really should get it,' would have a bigger impact than if I'd gotten it back in February when everyone was trying to, you know, fall over each other to get it," Trudeau said.

"I'm just looking for the best way to be useful on that."