Is Santa immune to COVID-19? Dr. Fauci says yes

The big guy travels all around the world. He visits millions of households one after the other. He's old, he's fat - and no face mask could contain that long, white beard.

In a pandemic, Santa's normal Christmas activities don't seem all that safe.

Luckily, jolly old St. Nick has immunity to the COVID-19 virus, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

In an interview with USA Today, Fauci said Santa will only be spreading Christmas cheer this holiday season.

'Santa is not going to be spreading any infections to anybody,” he told USA Today. ' ... Santa is exempt from this because Santa, of all the good qualities, has a lot of good innate immunity.”

So there's no need to worry about Santa getting sick, or getting you sick, come Christmas Eve. (And there's no need to wipe down your presents before you tear into them Christmas morning.)

The pandemic also won't stop the North American Aerospace Defense Command, aka NORAD, from tracking Santa's journey around the world December 24.

The mission still is on track, according to a November news release. Fewer people than normal will be on hand to answer phone calls from kids looking for a glimpse of Santa's sleigh, but anyone can keep an eye on Kriss Kringle's whereabouts by visiting noradsanta.org.

Comments: molly.duffy@thegazette.com