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Pope Francis: "You have to get vaccinated today"
Photo: Tiziana Fabi / dpa
Pope Francis' personal doctor, Fabrizio Soccorsi, has died as a result of being infected with the coronavirus.
As the Vatican newspaper "L´Osservatore Romano" reported, the 78-year-old died after "complications" from Covid 19 disease.
Soccorsi was admitted to the Roman University Hospital Gemelli on Christmas Day because of cancer.
Pope Francis chose the Italian Soccorsi as his personal doctor in 2015.
When the two men last met and whether the pontiff could theoretically have become infected is unclear.
Pontifex attacks people who refuse to be vaccinated
The head of the Catholic Church, meanwhile, urged everyone to get vaccinated.
Without a vaccination, you not only play with your life, but also with the lives of others, said the Pope in an interview with the TV station Tg5 planned for Sunday evening, which the German Press Agency had in part in advance.
The 84-year-old announced that he himself will soon be vaccinated against the corona virus in the Vatican.
“We'll start doing this in the coming week, and I'm registered for it too.” In his childhood, many children were paralyzed by the virus-induced polio, said the Argentine.
Back then, people would have longed for a vaccine.
"I don't understand why some say: No, the vaccine is dangerous," said the pontiff.
“There's a suicidal refusal that I can't explain.
But you have to get vaccinated today. "
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clh / dpa