Families who attended a Christmas event in South Carolina last weekend have been informed by local officials that a maskless Santa Claus greeting children has since tested positive for COVID-19.
The Charlotte Observer reported that about a dozen families attended the Fountain Inn city event called Sensory Santa, which was designed for children with special needs.
The man who played Santa reportedly tested positive after the event, prompting officials to notify families present.
“We sincerely regret this situation and apologize for this inconvenience. If you know anyone who attended the Sensory Santa event, make sure they are aware of the situation,” said Fountain Inn’s website City in a message.
City administrator Shawn Bell told the Charlotte Observer that the event involved between 10 and 15 families.
“Santa didn’t wear a mask,” Bell said to the outlet. “He had no symptoms at all at the time. It wasn’t until later in the evening that he found out that he had limited contact with a family member who had tested positive. “
The city encourages families to speak to their doctors and get tested for COVID-19.
Fountain Inn has no requirement for a face mask, but officials recently passed a resolution encouraging residents to wear a face mask.
“In retrospect, we wish Santa had worn a mask,” Bell said.
The report comes after another Santa Claus tested positive for COVID-19 in a parade in Georgia.
According to local reports, up to 50 children could have been exposed to the virus at that event, where both Santa and Ms. Claus later tested positive for the coronavirus.
Across the country, Americans are struggling to safely celebrate the holidays during the pandemic.
Some states have issued new, restricted, stay-at-home orders, such as California, while others are encouraging limited meetings and other precautions to avoid spikes in cases.
New COVID-19 infections have soared nationwide in recent weeks after the Thanksgiving holiday, when families gathered indoors to celebrate.