VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican came forward on Thursday to clarify a decree implying that employees could lose their jobs if they refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19 without legitimate health reasons, following criticism of the Social Networks.
A decree by Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, governor of the Vatican City, on Feb. 8, said getting a vaccine was “the responsible choice” for the risk of hurting others.
The Vatican City, at 108 acres, the smallest state in the world, has several thousand employees, most of whom live in Italy. His vaccination program began last month and Pope Francis, 84, was one of the first to get the vaccine.
The decree said that those who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons can be assigned another position, presumably where they would have contact with fewer people, but will receive the same pay even if the new post is a drop.
But the decree said those who refuse to be vaccinated without sufficient reasons would be subject to a specific provision in a 2011 law on employee rights and duties.
The 2011 law article says employees who reject “preventive measures” could be subject to “varying degrees of consequences that could lead to dismissal.”
Following news of the decree on Thursday, many Italians took to Twitter to criticize it, and some said it was contrary to Pope Francis’ general call for mercy.
On Thursday night, Bertello’s office issued a statement saying “alternative solutions” would be found for those who do not want to get the vaccine.
He said the reference to the 2011 law article that specifically mentioned the possibility of dismissal should not be considered “sanctioning or punitive” and that “freedom of individual choice” would be respected.
Pope Francis is a strong supporter of vaccines to curb the spread of the coronavirus and the Vatican has forced vaccination against COVID-19 for journalists accompanying the pope on his trip to Iraq next month.
There have been fewer than 30 cases of coronavirus in the Vatican City, most among the Swiss guard, who live in a communal barracks.
Reports by Philip Pullella; Edited by Gareth Jones and Jonathan Oatis