Two actors who dressed up as the festive favorites received their coronavirus diagnoses after attending a popular annual parade
Two actors playing Santa Claus and his wife Mrs Claus both tested positive for coronavirus after having their photo taken for 50 children. The unnamed performers were confirmed as being Covid-positive shortly after last Thursday’s parade in Ludowici, Georgia.
It came after the local fire department shared a snap of the Christmas couple riding atop one of its trucks.
Local chamber of commerce spokesman Robert Parker said: ‘The events were well attended and roughly 50 children had their picture taken with Santa. It has now been brought to the attention of the Chamber of Commerce, as well as my office, that after the event both “Santa” and “Mrs. Claus” were tested for the Covid 19 virus and both received positive test results.
‘They were not displaying any symptoms at the time of the event.’ No indication has been given as to whether Santa and Mrs Claus contracted Covid before or during the festive event.
But Parker insisted on striking an upbeat tone, saying ‘I do not feel this incident is a cause for panic,’ and insisting the parade brought ‘some sense of normalcy to these trying times.’
He added: ‘My children both had their picture made with Santa, and their smiles were bigger than any day when they head off to school, where the same risk of exposure exist. I want to further emphasize that no children were forced to attend the events and that choice was left solely in the hands their parents.
‘I have personally known both “Santa” and “Mrs. Claus” my entire life and I can assure everyone that they would have never knowingly done anything to place any children in danger.’
No update has been given on how Santa and Mrs Claus are doing, and there has been no news on any other person who attended the event falling seriously-ill.
Georgia has seen a total of 524,000 coronavirus cases and 9,781 deaths, with the southern state currently experiencing a third wave of the virus, like many other parts of the US.
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