Pope Francis Declares Social Inequalities Have Been ‘Exposed and Aggravated’ by Pandemic

⛪Pope Francis said during his weekly audience Wednesday the coronavirus pandemic only exacerbates social inequalities already prevalent across the globe.

Francis noted the outbreak has “exposed and aggravated” social inequalities, the Associated Press reported.

He explained disparities are evident within workplaces, schools, and government programs burdened with the responsibility of reducing the effects of the pandemic on the economy.

Francis acknowledged while some children can continue their education, the pandemic has “abruptly interrupted” the education of others.

He claimed “some powerful nations can issue money to deal with the crisis” while others are tasked with “mortgaging the future.”

“These symptoms of inequality reveal a social illness; it is a virus that comes from a sick economy. It is the fruit of unequal economic growth that disregards fundamental human values,” Francis said.

His comments come just one week after he warned wealthy countries against vaccine nationalism, as IJR previously reported.

“It would be sad if the rich are given priority for the Covid-19 vaccine. It would be sad if the vaccine becomes property of this or that nation, if it is not universal and for everyone,” Francis said during his weekly general audience.

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also suggested vaccine nationalism is making the pandemic worse, as IJR previously reported.