Fauci says Santa has 'innate immunity,' won't spread COVID-19 for Christmas

sdominick/iStockBy GENEVIEVE SHAW BROWN, ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- Not even a global pandemic can get in the way of Santa's sleigh.

That's according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert. He told USA Today, "Santa is exempt from this because Santa, of all the good qualities, has a lot of good innate immunity."

Kids have been worried -- for both themselves and for Santa's arrival.

"Santa is not going to be spreading any infections to anybody," he said.

Fauci isn't the only notable person declaring Santa safe from spreading COVID-19. Last week, Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte responded in a Facebook post to a letter from a 5-year-old boy named Thomas what's been on the mind of children the world over as the holidays draw near: Will Santa come this year?

Conte reassured the boy that Santa has an "international self-certification: he can travel everywhere and distribute gifts to all children around the world. Without any limitation. He then confirmed that he always uses a mask and keeps the right distance to protect himself and all the people he meets."

He urged the little boy from Cesano Maderno, in Northern Italy, to not "waste a chance at an extra gift" by asking Santa to send away the coronavirus. "We adults will manage to kick out the coronavirus, all together," he wrote.

"The idea of letting them find under the tree, besides hot milk and cookies, even sanitizing liquid seems excellent," Conte wrote, adding it would allow Santa to restart safely.

And there's no need for Thomas to tell Santa he's been a good boy this year, Conte said. The prime minister has already done it for him.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.