/https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fdd14ac4d255a6454e4dfea/0x0.jpg?cropX1=0&cropX2=6048&cropY1=306&cropY2=3708 "Maskless Santa exposed families to Covid-19 at a South Carolina event for children with special needs")
Top line
A maskless Santa Claus who attended an event in South Carolina for children with special needs later tested positive for coronavirus, city officials said, the second Santa Claus this week to potentially expose families during the Christmas festivities.
In front of the mall “Mall of Berlin” there is a sculpture of Santa Claus.
dpa / image alliance via Getty Images
Key Facts
On Sunday, the city of Fountain Inn, South Carolina, held an outdoor event called “Sensory Santa”, aimed at children with special needs, according to the Charlotte Observer.
The man with no mask playing the role of Santa Claus greeted 10 to 15 families during the event and was showing no symptoms – but later that night found that he had limited contact with a relative who tested positive, said city administrator Shawn Bell to Charlotte Observer.
Santa Claus finally tested positive on Wednesday, according to a notice posted on the Fountain Inn city website.
Masks were not required at the event, and South Carolina does not have a statewide mask mandate.
The city said it regrets the situation and apologizes for the “inconvenience”, adding that everyone present should be tested.
Crucial Quote
“In retrospect, we would like Santa Claus to wear a mask,” said Bell.
Key Background
The South Carolina event comes after another unmasked Santa Claus exposed 50 children during a Christmas parade in Ludowici, Georgia, earlier this week. In states where malls are open, Santa Claus is using creative solutions to impose social detachment guidelines, such as sitting inside a giant snow globe or behind a large acrylic picture frame. Others are offering calls to Zoom instead of face-to-face photo shoots, according to CNN.