Department of Defense press secretary John Kirby said during a press briefing on Monday that it was not the competence of the agency to ensure that Santa Claus is vaccinated against COVID-19.
However, he assured that Pentagon assets that will be tracking the white-bearded man will be.
Responding to a reporter who asked whether the "NORAD Tracks Santa" program will be able to go ahead with the COVID-19 surge, “We have all kinds of capability…and [Santa] will be safe.”
Last week, the US Army announced that 98% of active-duty forces have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. Many of those unvaccinated have requests pending for religious exemptions, though none have been granted so far.