Vaccine programme begins after homeless man died in St Peter's Square last night.

The Vatican has begun vaccinating homeless people against covid-19, the Holy See press office announced today.

The first group to receive the coronavirus vaccine comprised around 25 people, currently living nearby in accommodation facilities run by the Church, with more to follow in the coming days.

Those who were vaccinated today include Italians, Romanians and Georgians, all aged over age 60, reports Vatican News.

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The vaccination programme comes after a 46-year-old homeless man died in St Peter's Square over night, Vatican sources said today.

The man, described as of "African origin" and identified only as "Edwin," lived in the S. Pietro area and is reportedly the 10th homeless person to have died in Rome during the last three months.

Carlo Santoro of the S. Egidio charity told Italian news agency ANSA that Edwin died either of hypothermia or of a heart attack brought on by his living conditions.

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The Vatican began its covid vaccination programme on 13 January, with Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, aged 84 and 93 respectively, among the first in the Vatican to receive the vaccine.

Photo Vatican News