VATICAN UNDER ALERT

Two Cardinals Test Positive for COVID-19 as Rome Locks Down for the Holidays

The cardinals haven’t been in close contact with the 84-year-old pope, whose age and history of lung problems put him at risk for coronavirus complications.

Two cardinals in Rome have tested positive for the coronavirus just one day after Pope Francis held a holiday meeting with Vatican staff members. However, the pope isn’t isolating since he hasn’t been near the cardinals, sources told The Daily Beast. Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the pope’s 57-year-old almoner, is hospitalized in Rome. Giuseppe Bertello, a 78-year-old Italian cardinal and governor of Vatican City is isolated at home, according to the Daily Mail.

Pope Francis, who is 84 years old and has had issues with his lungs in the past, has been seen repeatedly without a mask during the pandemic. Photos from Monday’s holiday gathering show the pope hugging a baby while maskless. Italy is under a strict lockdown during the holiday season due to rising coronavirus cases in some regions. The pope won’t be making any outdoors appearances for Christmas or New Year’s. The pope championed coronavirus vaccines on Monday, saying there was a “moral imperative” to make sure poorer countries have access to vaccinations.