Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico is defending his decision to attend a family wedding out of state after a photo of the mayor circulated widely on social media.
In the photo, Chirico can be seen standing in a group at his daughter’s wedding, which took place recently in Naples, Florida.
None of the individuals in the photo were wearing masks.
The photo sparked controversy on social media after it was posted by one of the mayor’s relative.
In a statement, Chirico says that he and his family were tested for coronavirus prior to leaving for their trip to Florida, and all tested negative.
“It was an outdoor wedding and reception with a total of 53 guests,” Chirico said. “Upon my return to Naperville, I will be quarantining and testing again.”
The images of the mayor stirred up anger on social media amid the ongoing surge of coronavirus cases in numerous parts of the country, including Florida. Americans are being urged not to travel for Thanksgiving as a result of the pandemic, with more than 12 million Americans having contracted the virus since the pandemic began.
