Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was spotted dining out a New York restaurant just two days after testing positive for the coronavirus. On Wednesday, the 2008 Republican vice-presidential nominee’s visit to the popular upscale Manhattan eatery Elio’s drew attention from bystanders who took photos.
The visit came shortly after Palin was in the news over her positive test for COVID-19, which had forced the postponement of a trial in which the former Alaska Governor is suing The New York Times, says AP News. Many noticed that Palin was not complying with the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, which call for people to isolate themselves for at least five days after the onset of symptoms or a positive test.
Palin had dined at the same restaurant on Saturday as well, which is also peculiar as Palin has publicly made it clear that she won’t get the shot. So many wondered how Palin was able to dine despite the city rule requiring patrons dining indoors at restaurants to be vaccinated. Elio’s, which is known for its celebrity clientele, said earlier this week that it had erred in not checking Palin’s vaccination status during her visit.
According to AP News, the restaurant said in a statement that Palin returned Wednesday evening to “apologize for the fracas around her previous visit.” For her second visit, according to the site Mediaite, Palin dined in the heated outdoor shelter, which does not require vaccination. Fabien Levy, a spokesperson for New York City Mayor Eric Adams, tweeted on Thursday that if Palin “actually ‘loved New York City’ as she claims, she would stay home and isolate.” Her libel suit against The Times, over the wording of an editorial on gun violence, is now set to begin Feb. 3, says AP News.
