Some quarantining after possible COVID exposure at NC Senate leader’s Christmas party
Guests at a Christmas party hosted by North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger were potentially exposed to coronavirus, and some are now quarantining, a spokesman for Berger confirmed Wednesday.
“The gathering probably looked identical to any scene at any of the hundreds of locations where people eat lunch or dinner every day in Raleigh,” Berger spokesman Pat Ryan wrote in an email. “Guests had a meal at a restaurant. They wore masks when walking in the building and using the restroom, etc, but not while eating their food.”
The coronavirus exposure surrounding one of North Carolina’s most powerful Republicans was first reported Wednesday afternoon by WRAL-TV.
Ryan said one guest at the party informed the others Wednesday morning that they likely were positive at the time of the party. As of Wednesday afternoon, no others had reported testing positive, according to Ryan.
Those who came into close contact with the positive person are now in quarantine, Ryan said.
He declined to say what day the party was, or at which restaurant.
There were under 30 people at the party, he said, adding that he believes it “was in line with all relevant restrictions, including capacity limits inside restaurants.”
Earlier this month, the NC GOP held a large holiday party that did violate coronavirus rules and recommendations, The News & Observer reported.
Photos of the event showed Berger’s son Phil Berger Jr., who in November’s election won a seat on the N.C. Supreme Court, chatting maskless at the party — along with other maskless Republican politicians including Sen. Thom Tillis and N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore. It’s unclear if the elder Berger was at that party too.
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This story was originally published December 16, 2020 at 4:51 PM with the headline "Some quarantining after possible COVID exposure at NC Senate leader’s Christmas party."
