Catholic experts are calling for a thorough and transparent review of data privacy and the COVID-19 pandemic response, including the impact of church closures and vaccination policies, ahead of a new European vaccination card initiative set to be piloted in five countries beginning in September.

This initiative comes as Catholic experts and communities continue to grapple with the effects of church closures during the COVID-19 pandemic and consider how to better prepare for future health crises.

The initiative, dubbed “European Vaccination Beyond COVID-19” (EUVABECO), is aimed at establishing a Europe-wide vaccination card system. 

The project, partially funded by taxpayer money, aims to streamline vaccination records across the European Union, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.

The card will be tested in Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Greece, and Latvia and enable citizens to consolidate their vaccination data in one easily accessible location, according to VaccinesToday. It will be available in multiple formats, including printed cards, mailed copies, and digital smartphone versions.

The EUVABECO project website describes the digital tool as facilitating “lifelong continuity of care” across borders.

However, the proposed system has raised concerns among Catholic ethicists.

Right to Privacy and Risk of Discrimination

Father Peter Schallenberg, a professor of moral theology and expert in Catholic social teaching, told CNA Deutsch that while there are “no ethical difficulties in centrally and digitally managing health data on vaccinations,” it is crucial to ensure anonymization “to protect personal privacy.”

Father Elmar Nass, chair of sociology at the Cologne University of Catholic Theology (KHKT), highlighted potential data protection issues. He cautioned against allowing health insurance companies access to this information, warning they could use it to discriminate among customers.

The professor also expressed concern about the possibility of foreign powers or governments accessing the data and using it to restrict the freedom of sick individuals. Nass cautioned that such access could lead to discrimination or even exploitation of individuals based on their health status.

Both professors underscored the importance of individual responsibility for health.

Calls for a Transparent Review

The European initiative comes in the wake of significant challenges faced by the Catholic Church during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In principle, the state, as guardian of the common good, has the right to restrict individual freedoms, even in the case of mandatory vaccination, as long as this is approved by a parliamentary majority, medically indicated, limited in time, and evaluated,” Schallenberg said.

Nass emphasized protecting life and placing more weight on the importance of individual responsibility.

In his view, nationwide compulsory vaccinations — provided that the vaccines are produced in an ethically legitimate manner and there is certainty of no harm to those vaccinated — are legitimate “if there is evidence that a perilous and contagious disease can be defeated as a result.”

“In the coronavirus era, there was no such evidence, which meant that mandatory vaccination could not be legitimized,” Nass added.

“Under no circumstances should individuals be sacrificed in favor of the majority; that would be a capitulation to crude utilitarianism.”

Concerning the new European vaccination passport, Schallenberg told CNA Deutsch that “understandably, so many mistakes were made” during the coronavirus crisis “that a thorough parliamentary and transparent review must first take place before a new system is introduced.”

Nass also warned: “Instead of rushing ahead and unilaterally propagating the undoubted advantages of such an ID card, in a republic that is committed to the rights of minorities, we would like to see the inclusion of people who were considered vaccination skeptics a few years ago.”

Medical professionals within the Catholic community have called for better preparation for future health crises.

Dr. José María Simón Castellví, president emeritus of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations (FIAMC), emphasized in a recent essay that “everything possible must be done to keep the churches open and operational” during future pandemics.

He urged Catholic leaders to consult with medical professionals and other experts to develop comprehensive contingency plans.