Pope Francis during a prayer in the Vatican, Friday January 1.
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¬'VATICAN MEDIA / CPP / IP / SIPA
The Vatican's Covid-19 vaccination campaign will begin "in the next few days" and will target as a priority, from mid-January, healthcare professionals and the elderly, the Vatican said on Saturday.
The brief statement does not mention Pope Francis, 84, and does not write when he could be vaccinated.
"It is likely that the vaccines will arrive in the second week of January, in sufficient quantity to cover the needs of the Holy See and Vatican City," the statement said.
Authorities have already purchased a low-temperature refrigerator to store the Covid-19 vaccine and plan to start administering it from mid-January, the Vatican added.
Priority will be given to "health and safety professionals, the elderly and staff in frequent contact with the public".
Shortly before Christmas, two cardinals who were part of the pope's close guard had tested positive for Covid-19, again raising questions about the protection of the pope, who rarely wears the mask.
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