Pope Francis confirmed in an interview with an Italian broadcaster that he has an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, when the Vatican begins its vaccination program next week.
The pope added that everyone should receive the vaccine, calling it an “ethical option, because you are playing with your health, your life, but also with the lives of others.”
Mediaset released excerpts from the interview on Saturday, a day before its scheduled broadcast date. It is the first confirmation that the 84-year-old pope will receive the vaccine, although the Vatican had already announced that it would begin administering the vaccines later this month. The pope is missing part of one lung.
The Vatican has previously said that it is “morally acceptable” for the faithful to receive vaccines against COVID-19, the research of which drew on cell lines from tissue obtained from abortions. Vatican City has had at least 27 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
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