Global coronavirus cases have gone past the 2.22 crore-mark while over 7.84 lakh people have died across countries. As the global race for coronavirus vaccine continues, Pope Francis on Wednesday warned against any prospect that rich people would get priority for a coronavirus vaccine. “The pandemic is a crisis. You don’t come out of it the same — either better or worse,” Francis said, adding improvised remarks to his planned speech for his weekly public audience. “We must come out better” from the COVID-19 pandemic, the pope said. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the pope said, the world can’t return to normality if normal means social injustice and degradation of the natural environment. Francis said: “How sad it would be if for the COVID-19 vaccine priority is given to the richest.” He also said it would be scandalous if all the economic assistance in the works, most of it using public funds, ends up reviving industries that don’t help the poor or the environment.
