The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy, called on Ukrainians not to succumb to manipulation and the spread of myths about vaccination against COVID-19.
"You don't need to listen, you don't need to believe, you don't need to succumb to these manipulations. Because the Ukrainian Church has clearly stated that we are not against it. Vaccination has always taken place. Diseases existed even before the outbreak of this pandemic. Therefore, we have expressed a clear position that if these are medicines that are designed to preserve human health, then why not take them, why believe certain myths," Metropolitan Epifaniy said in an interview with Radio Liberty.
"We declare that there are no religious implications here, but everyone has the right to choose, everyone should realize that in this difficult time of trial by this disease, vaccination is the only protection," he added.
According to the Primate of the OCU, in Ukraine, for the second consecutive year, the struggle continues "with another invisible but real front of a dangerous coronavirus disease that claims a lot of human lives."
According to the Ministry of Health, almost 13 million people in Ukraine are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and more than 14.3 million have received at least one dose of the vaccine.