'Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus' Photo Shoot in Georgia May Have Exposed Numerous People to COVID-19

A visit to Santa may have exposed numerous people to COVID-19 in Georgia, according to WTOC-TV. Roughly 50 children showed up to have their picture taken with "Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus" at the Long County Chamber of Commerce's annual Christmas parade Thursday.

Now, officials are saying that the two people who portrayed the Christmas couple have tested positive for the coronavirus, the station reported. The school district is asking parents to keep children home who show any symptoms of the virus until the new year.

County Commission Chairman Robert Parker told the station that he feels the incident shouldn’t be a “cause for panic.”

"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,” Parker said. “They have both filled these roles for many years, and bringing joy to children during the holidays is one of the most important parts of their lives.

"Without them filling these roles locally, I know there are countless underprivileged children who would never have experienced the joy of meeting Santa Claus,” Parker continued.

He added that anyone who came into contact with the couple should follow the CDC’s guidelines and quarantine.

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