Pope Francis, Ex-Pope Benedict Receive COVID-19 Vaccine
PHOTO: Pope Francis (left) and retired Pope Benedict (right)
NEWSMAN – Pope Francis and retired Pope Benedict have received their first vaccination against COVID-19 on Thursday.
The two were given the jab at the Vatican.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement that he was “able to confirm that within the vaccine program of the Vatican City State, to this date the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine has been administered to Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus.”
Francis, who is 84, had part of a lung removed due to an illness in his 20s, so he would be a high-risk patient if he were to contract the virus.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who is 93, also lives within the small city-state that is surrounded by Rome.
The Vatican began its vaccine roll-out on Wednesday.
Health-care workers, security personnel, and the elderly would be first in line, as well as the personnel who have frequent contact with the public.
In recent months, there have been several Coronavirus outbreaks in the Vatican, including among members of the Swiss Guard.
