Pope Francis Rejects "Hoard of Vaccines" Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Pope Francis condemned the "hoard of vaccines" and supported the Pan American Committee of Judges' request for an equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. This, in a letter that the Vatican shared with the press.

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Argentine news agency Telam published on Wednesday that it had access to a letter the Pope sent to the president of the Pan American Committee of Judges Roberto Andrés Gallardo. "I share the concern," the Pope stressed.

"Even the countries that have vaccinated the most and best need vaccination in other countries to keep their borders open and regain normalcy in international relations," the Pope said. "Those who hoard vaccines, those who put the accent on intellectual property, those who block the provision of medicines are wrong and will ultimately be victims of their myopia," the leader of the Catholic Church added.

On Wednesday, the Pan American Committee of Judges for Social Rights and Franciscan Doctrine asked the World Trade Organization (WTO) to support India and South Africa's exemption of intellectual property for vaccines and tests to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.