VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has blamed “this lady called COVID” for forcing him to keep his distance again from the faithful during his general audience, which was far smaller than usual amid soaring coronavirus infections in Italy.

Francis again eschewed a protective mask Wednesday even when he greeted a few maskless clergymen at the end of his audience.

Augusto Zampini, acknowledged Tuesday that at age 83 and with part of his lung removed after an illness in his youth, Francis would be at high risk for complications if he were to become infected.

US CARDINALS CRITICIZE POPE FRANCIS ENDORSEMENT OF SAME-SEX UNIONS .

Zampini said he hoped Francis would don a mask at least when he greeted people during the general audience.

9 as he entered and exited his general audience, and last week during a two-hour interfaith prayer service in downtown Rome.

Pope Francis shakes hands with Monsignor Luis Maria Rodrigo Ewart as he arrives in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican for his weekly general audience, Wednesday, Oct.

Augusto Zampini, acknowledged Tuesday that at age 83 and with part of his lung removed after an illness in his youth, Francis would be at high risk for complications if he were to become infected.

Zampini said he hoped Francis would don a mask at least when he greeted people during the general audience.

At the start of the audience, Francis again apologized that he wouldn't descend into the crowd to greet well-wishers because he said doing so would create a crowd around him!

“And this goes against the precautions we need before this lady called COVID, who does us so much harm," Francis said from the stage of the Vatican auditorium.