VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis issued an appeal on Wednesday (Aug 18) urging people to get inoculated against COVID-19, calling it “an act of love”.
The head of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics joined a campaign to boost confidence in COVID-19 jabs, saying the vaccines could bring an end to the pandemic, but needed to be taken by everyone.
“Thanks to God’s grace and to the work of many, we now have vaccines to protect us from COVID-19,” the Pope said in a video message made on behalf of the non-profit US group the Ad Council and the public health coalition COVID Collaborative.
“They grant us the hope of ending the pandemic, but only if they are available to all and if we work together.”
“Being vaccinated… is an act of love,” the 84-year old said.
“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”.
Vaccines are widely available in mainly wealthier nations, but mistrust and hesitancy over the newly developed shots have meant that many people are refusing to take them, leaving them especially vulnerable as the Delta variant spreads.
By contrast, poorer nations still do not have access to large-scale vaccine supplies.
