Ukrainian religious leaders were vaccinated with AstraZeneca, the use of which has been suspended for security reasons in 20 countries around the world.

On March 16, the head of the UGCC Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the “archimandrite” of St. Michael’s Monastery of the OCU Lavrenty Zhivchik and representatives of the Jewish communities of Ukraine were vaccinated against COVID live. The broadcast was placed on the Facebook page of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

Together with religious figures, doctors and the head of the Department for Religions of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Andrey Yurash were publicly vaccinated.

Then a briefing took place, at which, in particular, the head of the UGCC reminded about the absence of religious reasons for refusing vaccination and stressed that it should be voluntary, accessible and “safe, but this is already the competence of doctors, those who certify vaccines in Ukraine”.

“Since the relevant state competent authorities guarantee the safety of certain drugs, obviously, I think, there are no other moral reasons why to make a “yes” or “no” decision,” Sviatoslav Shevchuk added.

Note that the public vaccination was carried out using the drug AstraZeneca (Covishield), which countries are refusing one after another due to side effects or low efficacy.

As reported, to date about 20 countries of the world have suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine or its individual batches.