Put a stop to travel red lists, says Archbishop

Justin Welby receiving the Covid-19 vaccine.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is urging the government to scrap travel red lists and instead focus on improving vaccine equity for poorer nations.

Justin Welby echoed the criticism of the Nigerian High Commissioner who called the red lists "travel apartheid".

The Archbishop used Twitter to call for Nigeria, South Africa and all other countries currently on the UK's red list to be removed.

In a Twitter thread, he said red lists were "morally wrong" and "self-defeating", and that the only way out of the pandemic was for vaccines to be shared globally. 

He called for an end to the stockpiling of vaccines, and for the focus to be shifted to "countries that need them the most".

"We must find fair and effective approaches for those who are vaccinated and tested to enter the UK," he said. 

"I agree with the Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK – we cannot have 'travel apartheid'.

"It is also morally wrong – and self-defeating – effectively to punish other nations for being transparent when they discover new Covid variants, as Archbishop Thabo of Cape Town has said.

"The only route out of this pandemic is vaccine equity. We must end vaccine nationalism and stockpiling. We must get vaccines distributed in countries that need them the most. The choice is vaccine nationalism or human solidarity."

The UK's travel red list was reintroduced over concerns about the omicron variant. 

Other countries on the red list include Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia. 

The ban means that only British and Irish residents may enter the UK from these countries.

News
Faith in the festive chaos: how you can sustain your family’s faith this Christmas
Faith in the festive chaos: how you can sustain your family’s faith this Christmas

Anna Hawken, Parenting for Faith from BRF Ministries, has some helpful tips for families to connect with God in the midst of the "December tornado".

Half of Armenian archbishops have been thrown in jail
Half of Armenian archbishops have been thrown in jail

The Armenian government has been in conflict with the church for a number of years now.

Catholics in Mozambique caring for survivors of Jihadist violence
Catholics in Mozambique caring for survivors of Jihadist violence

International attention on Mozambique is scarce.

New study uncovers why some people leave their childhood faith and others stay
New study uncovers why some people leave their childhood faith and others stay

A new analysis from the Pew Research Center suggests that decisions about faith are often made early in life — and once made, they tend to last.