VATICAN CITY - The Vatican is taking a hard stance on employees who refuse the coronavirus vaccine. Even though the vaccine is voluntary, a decree from the president of the Pontifical Commission of the Vatican City, Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, considers a series of measures, ranging from demotion to dismissal. The employees that are unable to be vaccinated, because of underlying health reasons, will be demoted, but they will still receive their salary. However, those who refuse “without proven health reasons” may be left unemployed.

  Bertello’s decree, published on “Vaticanstate”, clearly states that “it is considered that being vaccinated is a responsible decision given the refusal of the vaccine can result in risking the wellbeing of others and this refusal could seriously increase the risks to public healthcare.” The sanctions anticipated in article 6 refer to the Vatican law of 2011, which states that Vatican employees must submit to "official health examinations”, otherwise they risk the “termination of employment".

  The note from the Governorate of the Vatican City explains that the tough line adopted is not intended to be a “form of repression against workers” nor a “punitive” provision, but rather it intends to respond to the primary need for collective health.“The premise is to ensure individual protection of the workers and the collective working environment in case of an even that could be configured as a public health emergency. In particular, the provision concerns all the appropriate measures aimed at preventing, controlling and contrasting exceptional situations of public health emergency and all the instruments for an adequate and proportional response to the health risk are widely indicated".