Concern over Pope’s Iraq visit

INFECTIOUS disease experts have expressed concern about Pope Francis’s upcoming trip to Iraq.

They cited a sharp rise in coronavirus infections there, a fragile healthcare system and the unavoidable likelihood that Iraqis will crowd to see him.

No one wants to tell Francis to call it off, and the Iraqi government has every interest in showing off its relative stability by welcoming the first pope to the birthplace of Abraham. The March 5-8 trip will provide a sorely needed spiritual boost to Iraq’s beleaguered Christians while furthering the Vatican’s bridge-building efforts with the Muslim world.

But from a purely epidemiological standpoint, as well as the public health message it sends, a papal trip to Iraq amid a global pandemic is questionable.

Their concerns were reinforced with the news yesterday that the Vatican ambassador to Iraq, the main point of contact for the trip who would have escorted Francis to all his appointments, has tested positive for Covid-19 and was selfisolating.

I THINK “share a smile” is such a beautiful idea for this year’s Red Nose Day.

After such a dark and uncomfortable year, just a smile from someone can really make your day.

Dame Judi Dench is an excellent ambassador for Red Nose Day and I am sure will make people want to share a smile.

If this proves to be one of the best Red Nose Days ever, that will be wonderful and might assist our nation in picking ourselves up and hopefully moving forward once more.

Good luck to Red Nose Day – and very well done to all of the organisers. Let’s all try to share a smile and very hopefully welcome the spring.

Sandra Bond, Wilmorton