The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

Archbishop Patrick Pinder, Catholic archbishop of Nassau, yesterday said people should follow the Roman Catholic Church’s position on COVID-19 vaccines that those “who are eligible and able to receive the vaccine should do so willingly”.

Archbishop Pinder said taking the vaccine will protect the health of both recipients and individuals who come in contact with them.

He noted Pope Francis has already been vaccinated and said he too intends to receive the vaccine when it becomes available to him.

His statement read: “I wish to take this opportunity to assure you that the position of the Roman Catholic Church as to the vaccines against COVID-19 is that, in our present circumstances, persons who are eligible and able to receive the vaccine should do so willingly.

“This is to protect the health of the recipient, the health of all those with whom the recipient comes into contact and especially to protect the most vulnerable for whom infection with this virus could mean serious illness, hospitalisation or worse.

“In this regard, receiving the vaccine promotes the common good by protecting an individual’s health, promoting public health and saving lives.”

Meanwhile, the Bahamas Christian Council (BCC) has commissioned a committee to bring a position on the vaccine. Pastor Mario Moxey, who chairs the group’s COVID Vaccine Investigative Committee, said they are still in the process of gathering interviews at this point.

“We have interviews scheduled this week and next week and once they’re done we’ll have a better idea in terms of when we’ll be able to have that report for you,” he said.

“Once we have completed our report we’ll be able to present that to the Christian Council and then the council will be able to provide that information to their congregation. So up until this point and time, there’s really no comment from the Christian Council.”

The government has said 20,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine should arrive in the country tomorrow.

These vaccines are a gift from India.