NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins says it's 'truly heartbreaking' to see fellow evangelicals refuse the COVID-19 vaccine because of misinformation, urges them to 'look at the evidence'

Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the NIH, stated that every day more than 1,000 people are affected by COVID-19.
Collins stated that most deaths occur among those who are not vaccinated in an interview with Jim Acosta of CNN.

Collins urged fellow evangelicals not to ignore the evidence and to get vaccinated.

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Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health is encouraging fellow evangelicals to get vaccinated.

Collins stated that misinformation is making evangelicals hesitant to get vaccinated. He spoke with Jim Acosta of CNN on Saturday. He called it "truly heartbreaking" and urged people not to ignore the "evidence."

Collins stated, "Let me plead right now that if your faith is in Jesus Christ, or if there's any reason you are unsure or afraid, you should press the reset button on all information that you have. Look at the evidence. The evidence is overwhelming that vaccines are safe and effective. They can save your life.

The Kaiser Family Foundation conducted a June survey and found that 22% said they would not get vaccinated.

Collins stated to Acosta that there are still over 1,000 people who die every day from COVID-19. Most of these people are not vaccinated so it "didn't have" to happen.

Collins stated that Christians of all faiths are supposed to be concerned about their neighbors. "This is a very critical situation in which if you don't get vaccinated, you could be spreading the virus to someone vulnerable who can't resist it."

According to the Associated Press, some Christians claim that they cannot get the vaccine due to the involvement of fetal cells in its development.

According to the AP, the Vatican's doctrine office said that Catholics can get the vaccine even if it is based on research using fetal cells. Pope Francis declared that not getting the vaccine was suicide.

Collins, who was the NIH director since more than 12 years, announced last week that he would be stepping down at end of the year.