Sarah Palin dodges questions about dining at a New York restaurant after testing positive for Covid

Former Alaska governor filmed leaving Elio’s on Wednesday night

Sarah Palin outside a New York restaurant (Twitter @jangelooff)

Sarah Palin dodged questions at a New York restaurant after being spotted dining outside after testing positive for Covid-19.

The former Alaska governor and vice-presidential candidate was filmed by Gothamist leaving Elio’s on Wednesday night after reportedly dining in the restaurant’s outdoor area.

It came a day after she was spotted dining at Upper East Side restaurant Campagnol on Tuesday, and several days after she dined at Elio’s on Saturday night.

As Ms Palin left Elio’s on Wednesday, she was asked about dining out with her Covid-positive status, but did not answer any questions, and the reporter was ushered away but what appearesd to be security.

While she was seen indoors on Saturday, photos from Wednesday night showed her in the restaurant’s outdoor section.

In a statement to Mediaite, which first published these pictures, the restaurant said that Ms Palin had come to apologise to the restaurant for her Saturday visit, which had caused an uproar.

“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,” the statement said.

The restaurant had also apologised earlier this week for allowing the 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate to dine at the restaurant. The restaurant’s manager had said that Elio’s was “taking this isolated incident – and unfortunate oversight – very seriously”.

“Elio’s adheres to and believes in the vaccine mandate, and all it is doing to protect our staff, regulars and the dining public,” the manager had said on Monday.

On Tuesday, city authorities said the restaurant will not face scrutiny for its decision to allow Ms Palin to dine unvaccinated at the restaurant.