What Does the Bible Say about Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

The coronavirus pandemic has caused great suffering and even death for many people around the world. It has also caused major disruption of our economic systems. Many people wonder why God has allowed it to happen, and is it an omen that the end of the world is near? The Bible does not really answer these questions, but it does have a lot of related information.

Why Does God Allow Terrible Things Like the Coronavirus Pandemic?

The reasons why a loving God would allow so much evil in the world are a mystery and a barrier to faith for many people. There are no answers that are really satisfying to the human mind, but the Bible does have much to say about evil.

There is a summary of Bible teachings with references in this article on our website: Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering?

Is the Coronavirus Pandemic a Sign of the End-Times?

Jesus did mention plagues in connection with the end-times:

⁷ “Teacher,” they asked, “when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to take place?” ⁸ He replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and saying, ‘The time has come!’ But don’t believe them. ⁹ And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place first, but the end won’t follow immediately.” ¹⁰ Then he added, “Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. ¹¹ There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven. (NLT, Luke 21:7-11)

However, Jesus made it clear that we cannot know when the end will come (Matthew 24:27, 24:36-39, 24:44).

Since Jesus spoke those words 2000 years ago, there have been many plagues that killed large numbers of people. The bubonic plague in the 1300's A.D. killed about a quarter of the world's population. Also since Jesus spoke those words, thousands of people have compared current events to Bible prophecies and predicted the end was near. They have all been wrong. So, as Jesus said, there is no good reason to believe anyone who predicts the end is near.

There is a summary of Bible teachings on the end-times, with references, in this article on our website: What Does the Bible Say About the Second Coming of Jesus?

Should I Wear a Mask? Should I be Vaccinated?

Yes! and Yes! Both are common sense and simple actions everyone can take to protect themselves and protect other people.

Even young and healthy people can be infected with COVID-19. There may be minimal or no symptoms. But they can still infect other people nearby, including people in high-risk categories. Wearing a mask in public and getting vaccinated helps to protect you, and also helps to protect other people who might get very sick or die from COVID-19.^1,2

Jesus taught that one of the most important of all commandments is, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-31, Luke 10:25-28, John 13:34-35). Christian love requires that we do whatever we can to care for and protect other people. What could be more loving than wearing a mask and getting vaccinated to prevent accidentally infecting other people with a disease that could make them very sick or even kill them? (Romans 13:10)

Pranksters, mischief-makers, and attention-seekers have made up many untrue and even silly scare stories about the COVID-19 vaccines. Those untrue stories have been widely circulated on social media. Some have been repeated by large media outlets. But, in reality, there is nothing sinister about the COVID-19 vaccines. They are similar to the vaccines most of us had as children or have taken as adults without any controversy (flu, mumps, measles, chickenpox, tetanus, diphtheria, shingles, pneumonia, etc.).³

As of September 10, 2021 63% of the US population over 12 has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Over 2 billion people are fully vaccinated world-wide. The vaccines have proven to be highly effective for preventing disease, and serious side-effects are very rare.⁴ The very real danger from a COVID-19 infection is much greater than any theoretical risk from the vaccine.

The COVID-19 vaccines are recommended by all major health organizations. All major Christian denominations also recommend vaccination.

In the US, COVID-19 vaccination is completely free for everyone, both citizens and noncitizens, even for people without insurance. Everyone 12 and over is eligible to receive vaccination. It is being given by local health departments and many drugstores.

Is Vaccination the Answer to Prayers About the Pandemic?

Jesus taught that God will answer our prayers (Matthew 7:7-11, John 14:14). But the answer often comes at a time and in a way we do not expect. God frequently uses other people, such as medical professionals, to answer our prayers (Acts 9:10-17).

In times past, terrible diseases like smallpox, polio, tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough maimed and killed many people. The answer to prayers for an end to those diseases came in the form of the vaccines that have now controlled or eliminated those diseases as major threats.⁵

We now have vaccines that have the ability to put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic and let us return to life as normal. But vaccines can only control the spread of diseases if a high percentage of people are vaccinated.⁶

Doubts and fears caused by the barrage of malicious misinformation on social media are causing many people to avoid vaccination. But putting a quick end to the COVID-19 pandemic requires us all to work together for the common good and get vaccinated as soon as possible.

For more information:

Catholic: Pope Francis urges people to get vaccinated against Covid-19
United Methodist: COVID-19 vaccination named missional priority
Baptist: Evangelicals’ Vaccine Skepticism Isn’t Coming from the Pulpit
LDS: Senior Church leaders receive COVID-19 vaccine, encourage members to safeguard themselves, others ‘through immunization’

US CDC: Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination
US CDC: Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines
US AMA: COVID-19 vaccines: patient FAQs
UK NHS: Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine

¹ Harvard Medical School, Most COVID-19 cases are spread by people without symptoms, May 1, 2021, Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/most-covid-19-cases-are-spread-by-people-without-symptoms
² US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), How to Protect Yourself & Others, August 13, 2021, Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
³ US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines, September 7, 2021, Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/facts.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fvaccines%2Fvaccine-benefits%2Ffacts.html
⁴ US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Vaccines for COVID-19, September 1, 2021, Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html
⁵ US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Diseases You Almost Forgot About (Thanks to Vaccines), May 8, 2020, Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/diseases/forgot-14-diseases.html
⁶ Cleveland Clinic, How Much of the Population Will Need to Be Vaccinated Until the Pandemic Is Over?, May 5, 2021, Retrieved from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-much-of-the-population-will-need-to-be-vaccinated-until-the-pandemic-is-over