As Pope Francis prepares to get his Covid vaccine next week, his 78-year-old personal doctor is said to have passed away from the illness’s complications on Boxing Day.
Fabrizio Soccorsi served as the pontiff’s personal doctor for five years before he contracted the deadly virus and struggling with its complications.
Soccorsi was hospitalized on Friday for an oncological issue before his death was announced the following day.
Pope Francis said that he will take the Covid jab when the vaccination roll-out starts next week in Vatican City.
“I believe that ethically everyone should take the vaccine,” the 85-year-old told a local TV station. “It is an ethical choice because you are gambling with your health, with your life, but you are also gambling with the lives of others.”
“Next week we will start doing it here, in the Vatican, and I have booked myself in. it must be done. There is a suicidal denial which I cannot explain, but today, we have to get vaccinated.”
