By Kostas Onisenko
Vaccination, not only for COVID-19 but also in general, should be voluntary. This view was expressed by the head of the Commission for Family and Protection of Motherhood and Childhood of the Patriarchate of Moscow, priest Fodor Lukyanov.
In the relevant committee’s report, it is stated that some government officials have suggested that those children whose parents have decided to refuse vaccination should not be allowed to attend school and daycare.
The patriarchal committee proposed that such actions be banned by law and that fines be imposed on government officials who exert pressure on parents on vaccination issues.
“By law, vaccination is a precautionary measure. Nowhere is it stated that it is mandatory for the child. The willingness of the bodies that have been established and of the executives to achieve the indicators they need without taking the alternative view that exists in society is a dangerous trend,” the priest said in a statement to the Russian news agency RIA.
He stressed the need for parents to receive clear and accurate information about the risks of non-vaccination and the possible side effects of vaccination.
“The president announced that the vaccination is voluntary, the law describes it as a precautionary measure, and the parents should not be pressured. “Vaccination —not just for the coronavirus— should be purely voluntary,” said the priest.