We're Tracking Sarah Palin's Possible Super-Spreader Journey Through NYC

Where in the world is Alaska's most potentially infectious former governor?

PublishedJanuary 27, 2022

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The juice is loose, if by the juice you mean the coronavirus, and by loose you mean roaming the streets of NYC courtesy of a former vice presidential candidate.

The former Alaska governor and disastrous presidential running mate is in the Big Apple to sue the New York Times for libel after it insinuated that her rhetoric was tied to the 2011 mass shooting in Tucson, Arizona, which left six dead and Rep. Gabby Giffords with massive brain injuries. While she’s around, Palin decided to squeeze in some fine dining. Who’s worried about spreading a little plague?

Palin is unvaccinated (“over my dead body”) and recently received a positive coronavirus test, resulting in the delay of her trial. But you can’t keep this tiger down, and that puttanesca isn’t going to eat itself! So instead of isolating, she’s been walking around NYC with a virus that is estimated to have resulted in nearly 73 million confirmed cases and over 876,000 deaths in the U.S. alone, violating local rules on admissions to venues and doing it all maskless. Here’s what we know about Palin’s magical covid journey so far, and we’ll be updating this if we hear about any further sightings.

Have you seen Palin on the streets of New York this week? Email tom.mckay@gizmodo.com and let us know.

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Elio’s

On Saturday night, according to the New York Times, Palin dined indoors at Elio’s, an upscale Italian joint located in the Upper East Side. While Elio’s is required by local law to ensure that all patrons show proof of vaccination to dine indoors, Palin was apparently able to slip through. She received her positive test results on Monday, meaning anyone else present at Elio’s on Saturday might have gotten a free side of coronavirus exposure.

One of the restaurant’s managers, Luca Guaitolini, told the Times that Palin might have been able to exploit a loophole by attending with a regular customer known to be vaccinated and who thus wasn’t screened.

“She probably just walked in and strolled over,” Guaitolini told the Times, adding the restaurant is “trying to get to the bottom of this.”

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Campagnola

Under NYC coronavirus guidelines and state orders, Palin is required to isolate for five days after her symptoms began or upon receiving a positive test result, and continue to wear a mask and avoid close contact with others for 10 days. On Tuesday, according to Gothamist, Palin was sighted at Campagnola, another swanky Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side. This drew a crowd, apparently.

“You could see everyone was side-eyeing her,” local resident Ashley Foley told Gothamist. “Everyone had read the story about her going to Elio’s and getting a positive covid test. She was very top of mind if you live on the Upper East Side.”

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Elio’s... again

Despite her covid-positive dining habits becoming national news, Palin went out to eat again on Wednesday. This time, she returned to the scene of the crime: Elio’s.

“It was against my clearly stated wishes that Sarah Palin dined outside last night,” Elio’s owner Anne Isaak, who probably should have been clearer, told the Washington Post. The manager on duty at the time, Guaitolini, explained that he seated her outside to protect staff because he... knew... she... had... the... virus.

“Tonight Sarah Palin returned to the restaurant to apologize for the fracas around her previous visit,” Guaitolini told the Post in a statement. “In accordance with the vaccine mandate and to protect our staff, we seated her outdoors. We are a restaurant open to the public, and we treat all civilians the same.”

Palin told a Gothamist reporter who tracked her to Elio’s on Wednesday that she “loved New York City,” refusing to answer further questions. Her co-diners also declined to answer a question about whether they were comfortable getting in a car with her.

“Our goal has always been to incentivize isolation for those testing positive for covid and providing them multiple resources,” a city spokesperson told CNN. “That being said we hope that anybody who has covid is isolating for their own safety and the safety of all New Yorkers and find it highly irresponsible that Sarah Palin refuses to do so.”

The city has advised anyone in contact with Palin to get a coronavirus test. NYC agencies have not indicated they would be investigating Elio’s so far, according to the Post, and the city usually does not issue violations for failure to check vaccination status unless it is directly observed by an inspector.

This post will be updated as Palin continues to galavant around the city like she isn’t covid-positive.

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