Topline
With just over a week to go before Election Day, the virus has again gripped the top levels of the U.S. political and media world, as some of Fox News’ top anchors were reportedly told to quarantine after being exposed to an individual who tested positive for Covid-19 on a flight leaving the final presidential debate Thursday.
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 17: Alan Greenspan Visits “The Daily Briefing” at Fox News Channel Studios … [+]
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Key Facts
Jay Wallace, Fox News president, anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, and Dana Perino and Juan Williams, two hosts of “The Five” were all on board the plane with the infected person and told to quarantine and get tested, the New York Times first reported.
Wallace, Baier, MacCallum, Perino and Williams were all tested by Fox News and the Commission on Presidential Debates prior to departing for Nashville for the debate Thursday.
A group of network executives were also on board the plane, which was chartered by Fox News.
It’s not clear whether more than one person tested positive on the flight or if that person (or persons) was a Fox News employee, but the news company began conducting contact tracing immediately following news about the positive test.
Key Background
Fox News was more aggressive about resuming in-person network shows at its studio than others such as CNN and MSNBC. While the network has reportedly been diligent about following social distancing guidelines and wearing masks on set, some of its hosts have several times downplayed the threat of the pandemic.
Tangent
Several top aides to Vice President Pence tested positive for Covid-19 over the past several days, following an outbreak earlier this month that saw more than 20 people connected to the White House contract Covid-19, including President Trump himself. Multiple journalists who had attended events at the White House also tested positive following the president’s diagnosis.
Further Reading
Tracking the White House Coronavirus Outbreak (New York Times)
The Fox News president and several anchors were advised to quarantine after possible virus exposure (New York Times)
Source: Forbes – Business
