[ti:Health Crisis Changes How Santas Meet with Children] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]The coronavirus health crisis has changed [00:04.96]how Santa Claus meets with American children. [00:09.40]Santa now wears a face covering over his white beard. [00:14.72]He stays behind a barrier and keeps distance for safety. [00:20.12]He meets with children outdoors or online. [00:25.00]And some Santas, actually performers who play Santas, [00:30.64]just took the season off. [00:33.16]The physical qualities that make the perfect Santa [00:37.76]also increase the risks of COVID-19. [00:42.24]"Most of us tick all the boxes: We are old, we are overweight, [00:48.40]we have diabetes and if we don't have diabetes, [00:52.48]we have heart disease," said Stephen Arnold. [00:56.16]He is the president of IBRBS, [01:00.32]a group formerly known as the International Brotherhood [01:05.08]of Real Bearded Santas. [01:08.40]Mitch Allen is president of HireSanta, [01:12.12]one of the largest Santa-hiring agencies in the country. [01:17.72]He said, "Santa safety is our No. 1 concern" [01:22.64]and safety is included into every business agreement. [01:27.64]He added that the coronavirus crisis hurt business at first, [01:33.44]but it came back, especially online. [01:36.84]The average Santa makes $5,000 [01:40.96]to $10,000 during a normal season, Allen said. [01:47.40]Jac Grimes plays Santa in Greensboro, North Carolina. [01:52.68]He gave up home visits which make up about a third of his business. [01:58.96]He did it not just for his own health, [02:02.44]but to prevent passing the virus from one family to the next. [02:07.96]At a farmer's market that he works every year, [02:11.96]Grimes and his wife dress up as Santa [02:16.08]and Mrs. Claus and sit in a parking area. [02:20.16]They talk to people who remain inside their cars. [02:24.40]The virus has many Santas and parents turning to online visits. [02:31.36]Those visits often have led many Santas to turn to their children and others [02:38.32]for help learning new computer skills. [02:42.00]"It has been a challenge," said Christopher Saunders, [02:46.00]a Santa performer in Tool, a small town near Dallas, Texas. [02:52.92]But Saunders and others say online visits are a good, [02:58.12]if imperfect, replacement for in-person visits. [03:03.08]Even Santas with the best jobs are hurting. [03:08.16]Howard Graham has played Santa for eight years [03:12.12]at New York's Radio City Music Hall. [03:16.28]The place is known for its famous Christmas show [03:20.00]with the Rockettes, a dance group. [03:23.36]This year, he is doing online visits and working five days [03:29.20]with a historic railroad in Pennsylvania. [03:32.96]"I love what I do ... bringing them [03:36.04]a little bit of smiles and hope," said Graham. [03:40.08]Brad Six first played Santa 35 years ago. [03:45.04]He recently sat on Santa's chair for three hours at a shop in Miami. [03:51.84]As families sat in front of a plexiglass barrier for photos, [03:57.44]Six turned his head so that his face shield did not reflect the camera's light. [04:04.28]He happily waved children around the barrier [04:08.36]so they could tell him their wish list [04:11.28]– from a distance about 1.8 meters away. [04:15.88]As he wished them a Merry Christmas, [04:18.80]an elf cleaned the area for the next group. [04:22.72]Six said the situation is "a little easier physically on Santa's back [04:29.52]because he doesn't have to pick anybody up, but it's not as enjoyable [04:35.32]because Santa doesn't get the interaction he normally gets." [04:40.44]But for families, sitting with Santa, even if behind a shield, [04:46.28]is a bit of normalcy in unusual times. [04:50.84]Paul and Sarah Morris and their children, [04:54.88]5-year-old Theo and 4-year-old Sophy, [04:58.60]were among the first to visit Six that night. [05:02.68]"This is definitely different," Sarah Morris said of the situation, [05:08.68]"but the kids are excited and that's what matters." [05:13.08]I'm John Russell. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM