Pope Francis: "If COVID-19 Vaccines Are Prioritized for the Wealthy, It Would Be a Sad Thing"

Pope Francis [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sun-hee] Pope Francis emphasized the equitable and universal benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine on the 19th (local time).

In his general audience homily on Wednesday, the Pope said, "It would be a sad thing if the wealthy were given priority for vaccination," and added, "It would also be a sad thing if the vaccine became the possession of so-called wealthy countries and did not provide universal benefits worldwide."

He continued, "We must overcome the crisis in a better way," and added, "If returning to normal means social inequality and environmental destruction, we cannot go back in that direction."

Currently, more than 150 COVID-19 vaccines are being developed worldwide, with about 20 of them undergoing human clinical trials. Experts predict that vaccinations could begin as early as the end of this year, or at the latest, early next year.

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