Pope Francis will become the last figure to receive the coronavirus vaccine.
The head of the Catholic Church may receive the injection in the next few days, he said in an interview with Italian television channel TG5.
In the interview, which airs on Sunday night, Pope Francis said that the vaccine launch in the Vatican would begin next week and that he had already scheduled an appointment.
Although not wearing a mask goes against the Vatican’s security protocols, the state offered no explanation as to why he avoided wearing a face shield.
After being vaccinated with both doses, the pontiff can resume international travel, with a trip to Iraq scheduled for early March. This will be his first trip outside Italy and the Vatican City State since the pandemic began.
The Pope said he felt that “ethically everyone should receive the vaccine.” He added that by not getting the vaccine, people not only put their own health at risk, but also that of other people.
Pope Francis went on to say that people who refused to take the vaccine when it was considered safe had “a suicidal denial”.
In his Christmas message, the pope said that leaders needed to ensure that vaccines were available to everyone and called on countries, asking them to cooperate in efforts to end the pandemic.
The Pope’s inoculation is the last step in the Catholic Church’s endorsement of the vaccine. In December, the Vatican’s doctrinal watchdog announced that it was “morally acceptable” for Catholics to receive vaccines made from cell lines taken from aborted fetuses.
A royal source said the Queen announced that they had taken the vaccine to help prevent further speculation.
This was an unusual move, as Buckingham Palace does not normally reveal medical details about the monarch.