Vatican City to Start Coronavirus Vaccinations in January 2021

“It is understandable that there may be fears for a vaccine that has been developed in such a short time, but very rigorous safety tests have been carried out and there are assurances given by the world health authorities that before granting marketing authorization they conduct very rigorous studies,” he said.

Vatican City State, the world’s smallest independent nation-state, has a population of only around 800 people, but together with the Holy See, the sovereign entity that predates it, it employed 4,618 people in 2019.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, a total of 27 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Vatican City State. Among them, at least 11 members of the Swiss Guard tested positive for the coronavirus. 

In October a person living at the pope’s residence in Vatican City, Casa Santa Marta, tested positive and was placed in isolation.

Italy has recorded the most coronavirus deaths in Europe, with 65,011 COVID-19 deaths recorded by the Italian Ministry of Health as of Dec. 14. 

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Nearly 29,000 people have died of coronavirus in Italy since Sept. 1.

The average age of Italy’s victims is around 80, according to AP, which noted that 65% of Italy’s coronavirus dead had three or more other health problems before testing positive.

Courtney Mares is a Rome Correspondent for Catholic News Agency. A graduate of Harvard University, she has reported from news bureaus on three continents and was awarded the Gardner Fellowship for her work with North Korean refugees.