As the omicron variant spread rapidly worldwide in the lead-up to Christmas, the Church of England's most-senior cleric offered an unwavering pronouncement: Getting the coronavirus vaccine and booster is a moral issue.
"Vaccination reduces ... my chances of getting ill, [which] reduces my chances of infecting others -- it's very simple," Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said Tuesday on British station ITV. "Go and get boosted; get vaccinated. It's how we love our neighbor."
The archbishop's statement comes as scientists in Britain are pushing Prime Minister Boris Johnson to order tougher restrictions as covid cases continue to climb. In the last seven days, more than 600,000 new cases were recorded in the U.K. -- an increase of more than 50%, according to The Washington Post's covid tracker. On Monday, Johnson said he had no plans to implement new rules.
Masks are required in England in most indoor public spaces and on public transit, including taxis. But they are optional in restaurants, pubs and gyms. The rules vary in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. About 77% of Britain has received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, The Post's data show.
Welby is one of several religious leaders in the U.K. teaming up with the government to push people across faiths to get vaccinations and boosters. But last week, the archbishop said in a radio interview that parishioners should still go to church on Christmas and wear a mask.
"I would say it's a necessity; the worship of God is a necessity," Welby said, according to Church Times, adding that Anglican houses of worship tend to be "large, cold, and [drafty]," making them "not great places for spreading infections."
For months, religious leaders have used their positions to advocate for vaccinations. In August, Pope Francis urged Catholics to get the vaccine, adding that doing so is an "act of love." Some rabbis, evangelical church leaders and imams have also worked to debunk misinformation about vaccines and endorse them as safe and lifesaving.
In an interview with ITV's Julie Etchingham, Welby, who has been Archbishop of Canterbury since 2013, acknowledged he may get blowback for calling vaccination against the coronavirus a moral issue.
"I'm going to step out on thin ice here and say yes, I think it is," Welby said. "A lot of people won't like that ... but it's not about me and my rights to choose, it's about how I love my neighbor."
Etchingham then asked if it is a sin for someone to refuse the vaccine if they are in good health and have no medical reason to avoid taking it. But Welby dodged the question, focusing more on the religious argument for getting the jab.
"Loving our neighbor is what Jesus told us to do," Welby said. "It's Christmas. Do what He said."