Families who attended a Christmas event in South Carolina over the weekend were notified by local authorities that a Santa Claus without a mask greeting children was positive for COVID-19.
The Charlotte Observer reported that about a dozen families attended the event in the city of Fountain Inn, called Sensory Santa, which was designed for children with special needs.
The man playing Santa Claus tested positive after the event, prompting officials to notify the families present.
“We sincerely regret this situation and apologize for this inconvenience. If you know someone who attended the Sensory Santa event, make sure they are aware of the situation,” says the Fountain Inn city website in a warning.
City administrator Shawn Bell told The Charlotte Observer that the event has 10 to 15 families attending.
“Santa Claus wasn’t wearing a mask,” Bell told the outlet. “He did not have any symptoms at the time. It was only later that night that he discovered that he had limited contact with a relative who had tested positive. “
The city is encouraging families to talk to their doctors and take the COVID-19 test.
The Fountain Inn does not require a face mask, but authorities recently passed a resolution that encourages residents to wear a facial cover.
“In retrospect, we would like Santa Claus to wear a mask,” said Bell.
The report comes after another Santa Claus at a Georgia parade tested positive for COVID-19.
According to local reports, up to 50 children could have been exposed to the virus at that event, where both Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus later tested positive for the coronavirus.
Across the country, Americans are struggling to safely celebrate holidays during the pandemic.
Some states have issued new, limited orders to stay at home, such as California, while others are encouraging limited meetings and other precautions to mitigate the increase in cases.
New COVID-19 infections have increased nationally in the past few weeks after the Thanksgiving holiday, when some families gathered at home to celebrate, despite recommendations to the contrary.