ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg Mayor-elect Ken Welch tested positive for COVID-19 Monday morning, putting a screeching halt to in-person inauguration plans for the city’s first Black mayor this week.
“As a result, the inauguration ceremony scheduled for outside, on the steps of City Hall, on Thursday, January 6th, will be canceled,” read a press release from Welch’s campaign. “Instead, Welch will be sworn-in virtually on Thursday from home. He will also provide a short speech virtually on January 6th.”
Mayor-elect Welch says he only has minor symptoms and credits the COVID vaccine and booster shot for keeping him protected. His campaign says Welch first tested positive with an at-home kit and confirmed it later with a PCR test.
Welch plans on working from home until he is able to safely exit isolation, meaning his first few days as St. Pete’s mayor will have to be conducted virtually.
Meanwhile, new city council members will still be sworn in on the city hall steps this Thursday at at 10:30 a.m.