The Vatican has told employees that they may risk losing their jobs if they refuse to get a Covid-19 vaccination without legitimate health reasons, Reuters reported.

A decree by Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, effectively the governor of Vatican City, said getting a vaccine was “the responsible choice” because of the risk of harming other people.

The decree said those who refuse to get a vaccination without sufficient reason would be subject to a specific provision in a 2011 law on employee rights and duties. The article in the 2011 law says employees who refuse “preventive measures” could be subjected to “varying degrees of consequences that could lead to dismissal”.