Church leaders issue joint statement urging residents to get vaccinated

By Davina Hyde

Church leaders have come together to show support for the vaccination programme.

In a joint statement that marks the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, a host of church leaders who make up the partnership of Churches Together in South London (CTSL), have urged everyone to be immunised against Covid-19 to prevent its further spread and more deaths.

They said: “We know that some people have concerns and fears about the Covid-19 vaccination, and we do not underestimate these.

“Current reliable scientific advice is that the vaccine offers the best way to control the pandemic and help to save lives.  Each of our Christian traditions allows for the vaccine to be received for these purposes.

“It is believed that the vaccine will reduce the impact of Covid-19 and lesson the pressure on the NHS.

“This is our prayer as we trust in God and commend the vaccine.”

Churches Together in South London represents over 50 local ecumenical networks across 10 London boroughs south of the Thames.

Its senior church leaders come from a range of denominations including the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Southwark, the Anglican Bishop of Southwark and the Coptic Archbishop of London.

Revd Dr Jongikaya Zihle, London District Chair of the Methodist Church said: “The Christian call to love your neighbour as yourself is central to caring, providing a healthy environment whose express purpose is the preservation of human life.

“A sentiment echoed by an African proverb which says ‘a person (human being) is, because others are’; indicating our inter-linked nature as people.

“Consequently, it is important that the health related decisions we make for ourselves, are considerate of the health and survival of others which is why as a church leader, I firmly believe that the protective and preventative nature of the vaccines offered by our health system (government and NHS) are pivotal towards halting the spread of this covid-19 pandemic.

“It is more so necessary to appreciate that after the most vulnerable category in these beautiful British Isles, it is the BAME community that detrimentally, gets affected most by the finality covid-19 presents once infected.

“I therefore urge that we accept (and receive) the vaccine when offered to us and if not for ourselves, then for the sake of the most vulnerable in our communities for whom when infected, their lives and those whose livelihoods are inter-linked with theirs, would be fatally affected not just for the moment but for generations to come.

“We are immensely grateful to all frontline workers, NHS and volunteer vaccinators for the sterling work they’re doing in ensuring that the vaccine roll-out goes well, spurious vaccine myths are debunked and human lives are spared from this scourge of corona virus.”

A recent survey by the Office for National Statistics found only 49 per cent of 150 black or black British adults say they would be likely to get a vaccine, compared with 85 per cent of white adults.

This is even though Black Asian and Minority Ethnic people are almost twice as likely to die from Covid-19 as white people, and mortality rates from the virus are three times higher for men in lower-paid, manual roles, according to a report in October commissioned by London mayor Sadiq Khan.