The Vatican authorities decided to dismiss employees from work for refusing voluntary vaccination without medical indications. The corresponding decree dated February 8 was signed by the governor of the city-state, Giuseppe Bertello, reports Associated Press.
The text of the document states that employees of organizations who refuse to get vaccinated without a proven medical reason may be subject to sanctions by the employer, “up to the termination of employment.”
Principles issued by Pope Francis’ COVID-19 Advisory Commission, according to which people are morally responsible for vaccinations, are used to guide the directive, given that avoiding vaccinations may pose a risk to others.
The signing of the decree sparked a heated debate in the Vatican, as its provisions go against the voluntary nature of vaccination in Italy and many other countries around the world.
According to Johns Hopkins University, 27 cases of coronavirus infection were recorded in the Vatican. Of these, there are no deaths, and 15 people have recovered.