After it was reported on Wednesday that Pope Francis, 84, had been vaccinated, this Thursday it was announced that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, 93, also received the first dose of covid-19, according to a statement from the spokesman of the Holy See.
The Argentine pontiff received the first dose of the vaccine on Wednesday, while the German pope emeritus received it this Thursday, within the vaccination campaign started the day before by the Vatican, the official news portal says.
“I can confirm that, as part of the vaccination program of the State of Vatican City, until today the first doses of the vaccine against covid-19 have been supplied to Pope Francis and to the Pope Emeritus,” Matteo Bruni announced. , director of the press office of the Holy See.
The Argentine pontiff received the first dose of the vaccine on Wednesday, while the German pope emeritus received it on Thursday. Photo: AFP
Francisco was vaccinated in a section of the atrium of the Paul VI Hall specially prepared for the application of vaccines.
The Vatican on Wednesday began the vaccination campaign for the nearly 5,000 Vatican residents and employees.
Francisco received the first dose of the vaccine from the Pfizer and BioNTech laboratories and in three weeks, he will receive the second. No photo has been distributed so far.
In an interview released on Sunday by Italian television,. Francisco defined vaccination “an ethical action, because you risk your health, you risk your life, but you also risk the lives of others.”
Various prelates, bishops and cardinals have contracted the virus in recent months, including Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Archbishop of Naples.
Fabrizio Soccorsi, who was the pope’s personal physician for five years, died on Saturday at the age of 78 after “complications from covid-19” when he was “hospitalized for a cancerous pathology.”
Francisco canceled all his trips abroad since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 and questioned his visit to Iraq, scheduled for next March 5-8 due to the pandemic.
AFP
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