With anxiety over the coronavirus pandemic permeating this holiday season, children may be worried that Santa Claus — right in the target age range for those most susceptible to the virus — may catch it, or give it to others.
As the network over the summer with Stand Up to Racism, CNN collaborated with Sesame Street for The ABCs of COVID-19, a town hall where children can ask questions about celebrating the holidays during the pandemic. One question, asked by 6-year-old Paxton from Illinois, was whether Santa will still be able to visit him or go to anyone else’s house:
In November, the U.S.’s leading virus expert Anthony Fauci assured children that Santa is immune from COVID. Unfortunately, however, no one else is — but Fauci has that taken care of, he said in a CNN appearance on Saturday.
“I took a trip up there to the North Pole,” he said, “I went there and I vaccinated Santa Claus myself. I measured his level of immunity, and he is good to go.”
He assured children even further, saying that Santa “can come down the chimney. He can leave the presents. He can leave, and you have nothing to worry about. Santa Claus is good to go.”
In these times of uncertainty, at least we know that Santa is vaccinated and able to give children their presents this year.