Pope worries about children in poverty amid virus

Pope Francis appealed for help Wednesday to protect children who are being forced to work to help their families living in extreme poverty during the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking from the Papal library at the Vatican during his weekly audience, the Pope said that in some circumstances this amounted to child slavery or imprisonment.

Pausing from his prepared text, the Pope added, "we are all responsible for this."

Since the beginning of March, when the Italian government declared a national lockdown due to the coronavirus, Pope Francis has been holding his weekly audience in the Papal library surrounded by a few priests and bishops.

There have been 12 cases of COVID-19 among the employees and residents of the small Vatican city state.