'Love Thy Neighbor': Gov. Jared Polis Quotes From The Bible In Effort To Convince More Coloradans To Get Vaccinated

DENVER (CBS4) - There are currently 504 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Colorado, and Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday renewed his plea for more residents to get fully vaccinated against the coronavirus to slow the spread. In a dramatic moment during a morning news conference, he quoted a Bible verse.

He used well-known language from the Gospel of Matthew to emphasize that getting the vaccine isn't just about personal protection.

"It's also about more than individual choice. It's about our responsibility to one other. Because if you're unvaccinated you may think you'll get light symptoms ... but it's also about those you could potentially infect -- your aunts, your uncles, your elderly neighbors.

"The Gospel of Matthew states 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self.' And getting vaccinated to protect yourself first and foremost protects you, but it's also an act of love to protect your neighbor and those that you're around by reducing their risk," he said.

Colorado currently has a rate of 73.14% of residents immunized with at least one dose of the vaccine. 65.4% of all eligible Coloradans are fully vaccinated. Polis said those numbers are better than many other states, but still not enough to reach herd immunity against COVID.

For those Coloradans still taking a wait-and-see approach to vaccination and those who haven't gotten around to it and maybe "need an extra nudge," Polis says he hopes those people will take the state up on the chance to earn some cash for getting vaccinated.

Eligible Coloradans who receive a first or second dose at a participating state-operated vaccine clinic will get a $100 Walmart gift card. The gift certificates are available to anyone 12 years and older. Get more information at covid19.colorado.gov/coloradocomebackcash.

It's not the first time Polis, who is Jewish, has mentioned Bible verses since the COVID-19 pandemic began. He quoted from Ecclesiastes, the Bible's third chapter, in March 2020 when he issued a statewide stay-at-home order. The order expired approximately a month later.