The Vatican has begun its program of vaccination this week, starting with the elderly and others in high-risk categories.
Matteo Bruni, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, has confirmed that the Vatican’s vaccination campaign against Covid-19 began in the Paul VI Hall in Vatican City. Priority is being given to health care and public safety personnel, the elderly, and those persons most frequently in contact with the public. It was confirmed today that the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine has been administered to Pope Francis and to the Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
Citizens of Vatican City State, along with employees and pensioners will have the opportunity to receive the vaccination, as will family members who are entitled to the use of the Vatican health care system, FAS (Fondo Assistenza Sanitaria). The vaccination campaign is entirely voluntary.
Speaking in an interview on 10 January with Italy’s TG5 news programme, Pope Francis said he believes that ‘morally everyone must take the vaccine’.
Pope Francis’ remarks are the latest in a series of firm signals to the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics that he and the Vatican strongly support the global vaccination effort.
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