Pope Francis Loses Personal Doctor To COVID-19

The personal doctor to Pope Francis, Fabrizio Soccorsi, has reportedly died after battling COVID-19 complications.

The Vatican newspaper reported on Saturday that the Soccorsi died at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, L’Osservatore Romano.

The doctor was reportedly receiving treatment for “oncological pathology” at the hospital before his death.

According to his profile published by the Vatican, the 78-year-old was appointed as the pope’s personal physician in 2015.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis has revealed that he will receive the vaccine for coronavirus (COVID-19) next week.

The Holy Father stated this in an interview with Italy’s Canale 5 Channel on Saturday.

Pope Francis asked everyone to get a shot of the COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves and everyone else.

“It is an ethical duty to take the vaccine, here in the Vatican we will start next week, I am also in line to take it,” he said.

“There is a suicidal denial which I cannot explain, but today we have to get vaccinated.

“I believe that ethically everyone should take the vaccine. 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.”

Recall that Pope Francis had in December last year stated that it is morally right to be vaccinated.

This came after some anti-abortion groups raised concerns over how the COVID-19 vaccines are manufactured.