As Covid-19 vaccines continue to roll out in many parts of the world, many Catholics remain wary about being vaccinated due to ethical and safety concerns.
In a virtual conference organized by the Catholic Leaders Academy of Latin America to address these concerns, Card. Seán O'Malley reiterated what the Vatican has already affirmed about receiving vaccines developed using cells from aborted fetuses.
CARD. SEAN PATRICK O'MALLEY
Archbishop of Boston
“The Church is very carefully observing the ethical implications of this vaccine and wants to assure all of us that the decision to be vaccinated is an ethical choice, and that we must encourage people to use this very important tool in the fight against the pandemic.”
Although the long-term effects of the vaccine are not yet fully known, experts said fear of the virus itself, whose lethality is known, should outweigh often unsubstantiated fears of getting vaccinated. They also strongly recommended continuing to wear face masks, washing hands frequently and thoroughly, and maintaining physical distances, even after receiving the vaccine.
Another important part of vaccination is of course, distribution, a particularly difficult challenge for Latin America, where inequality in wealth distribution is a serious problem.
DR. ENRIQUE GARCÍA RODRÍGUEZ
Chairman of the Board of the Trust for the Americas
“I think making progress with vaccination and finding the mechanisms to facilitate vaccination for the entire population in our region, and the world, rich and poor, is a priority. I think this part is a joint responsibility. It's everyone's responsibility.”
Dr. Rodríguez says the task will require collaboration between governments, multilateral entities and private organizations, especially to serve the 96 million people living in extreme poverty in Latin America.
Catholic Leaders Academy of Latin America
