NNA -  Pope Francis said on Friday that spreading fake news and disinformation on COVID-19 and vaccines, including by Catholic media, is a violation of human rights.

It was the second time in less than month that the 85-year-old pope has spoken out on the subject. Three weeks ago, he condemned “baseless” ideological misinformation about vaccines, backing national immunisation campaigns and calling health care a moral obligation.

Francis made his comments in an address to members of catholicfactchecking.com, a consortium of Catholic media whose website says its aim is to “clarify fake news and misleading information” about vaccines against COVID.

“To be properly informed, to be helped to understand situations based on scientific data and not fake news, is a human right,” the pope told the group. “Correct information must be ensured above all to those who are less equipped, to the weakest and to those who are most vulnerable.”-- Reuters

=================== L.Y