Pope Francis says getting Covid vaccine is ‘an act of love’ Pope Francis

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Pope Francis has urged people to get vaccinated against Covid-19, describing doing so as an “act of love”.

The Pope made his appeal in a video produced by the Vatican and the Ad Council, a US non-profit group that previously made videos promoting vaccination against Covid. He praised the work of scientists to produce safe and effective vaccines.

“Thanks to God and the work of many, we now have vaccines to protect us from Covid-19,” he said in the video. “Vaccines bring hope of ending the epidemic, but only if they are available to everyone and if we cooperate with each other.”

Francis said vaccinating with vaccines authorized by the relevant authorities is an “act of love”. “Vaccination is a simple but profound way of promoting the common good and caring for one another, especially the most vulnerable,” he said.

The Pope has previously spoken of the significance of the Covid-19 strike, while stressing that vaccinations should be distributed evenly, especially to poor countries. The video is aimed at a global audience, and includes bishops from the United States, Central and South America.

Francis encountered skepticism about vaccinations by traditional cardinals, including from his loyal critic, American Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke. Burke, who has also expressed skepticism about social distancing measures, announced last week on Twitter that he had “recently” tested positive for Covid.

A subsequent tweet from his account on Saturday said he had been taken to hospital and was on a ventilator. It is unclear whether Burke, who lives in Rome but travels frequently, has been vaccinated and is believed to have contracted the virus during his recent trip to Wisconsin.

Burke has previously criticized the way governments have handled the pandemic and vaccines. Last December, he referred to Covid-19 as the “Wuhan virus,” echoing former US President Donald Trump. And last May, he spoke forcefully against Covid vaccines, saying: “It must be clear that vaccination itself cannot be imposed, in a holistic way, on citizens.”

Burke also said that the coronavirus “has been used by certain forces, hostile to families and the freedom of nations, to further their evil agenda,” and that the most effective weapon against Covid is “our relationship with Christ through prayer, penance, loyalty, and holy worship.”

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