Pope Francis has joined a campaign to persuade people to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
“Being vaccinated … is an act of love,” the head of the Catholic Church emphasized in a video message posted on VaticanNews.va.
“And contributing to ensure the majority of people are vaccinated is an act of love. Love for oneself, love for one’s family and friends, love for all people,” he added.
“Thanks to God and to the work of many, we now have vaccines to protect us from Covid-19,” the pope said in a message for the Ad Council’s “It’s Up To You” vaccination campaign.
“(Vaccines) grant us the hope of ending the pandemic, but only if they are available to all and if we work together,” he said in a video to communities in North, Central, and South America that have become epicenters of coronavirus epidemic.
In addition to Pope, cardinals, and archbishops from Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru also joined the campaign. Despite mass vaccination campaigns, public distrust remains high regarding vaccinations due to the experimental nature of some vaccines, their expedited approval, lack of testing, their lower effectiveness against COVID-19 variants, and reported side effects. Proponents of the vaccines argue that the benefits outweigh the potential costs.
Title image: Pope Francis delivers his message during his weekly general audience at the Vatican, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
