ROME (AP) — Pope Francis is now speaking about getting the coronavirus vaccination as a "moral obligation."
Francis used some of his strongest words yet calling for people to get vaccinated in a speech to ambassadors accredited to the Holy See on Monday.
He denounced how people had been swayed by "baseless information" to refuse one of the most effective measures to save lives.
Francis has generally shied away from speaking about vaccination as a "moral obligation," though his COVID-19 advisory body has spoken of a "moral responsibility."
On Monday he said individuals had a responsibility to care for themselves, "and this translates into respect for the health of those around us."
According to the Associated Press, the 85-year-old called for people to get vaccinated and lamented how people had been discouraged from getting vaccinated due to "baseless information," calling for the adoption of a “reality therapy” to correct this distortion reasoning.
KGUN 9 reached out to Bishop Weisenburger for comment. He released this statement, "The Diocese of Tucson echoes the call of the Holy Father. We fully endorse the words of Pope Francis in every way as they pertain to vaccines."
Francis has been fully vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech shots, the news outlet reported.
