MICHIGAN — Michigan’s Catholic Bishops released a statement Friday on the morality of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
It comes amid concerns that the vaccine was developed using cell lines that originated from aborted fetuses.
Though the bishops call abortion a “great evil” in their statement, they also say the vaccines developed by Johnson & Johnson and Astrazenica – the latter of which hasn’t yet received emergency authorization in the U.S. - can be accepted if no other alternative is available.
The vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna don’t pose any moral concerns, the statement said.
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Those who choose not to take the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and don’t have access to the ones from Pfizer or Moderna would still be morally responsible for taking steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Read the full statement here.