During a chat on “Fox & Friends” Thursday morning, Dr. Mehmet Oz said stopping his show over coronavirus concerns was “sensible” after a staffer tested positive.
“We’re gonna shut it down,” he told co-host Steve Doocy. “We have had, I think, enough shows out there telling what’s happening and I finally built a studio in my own home so I can broadcast from here. I think it’s a sensible thing to do. A lot of hardworking folks — I’m so proud of the team; they kept coming every single day — but at a certain point, it becomes a challenge. There are risks on the way to work, no matter how careful you are with social distancing once you’re there.”
Co-host Ainsley Earhardt asked about the staffer and Dr. Oz said that person is “fine.”
“I talked to him last night. Good guy. He immediately removed himself. We do shows on this all the time so the staff was very well-informed. As soon as he felt a little off, he left,” Dr. Oz said.
Television shows are being uniquely affected by the spread of coronavirus, as staffers work from home but producers and talent still head into the studio, for the most part. Some, like Whoopi Goldberg on “The View” and Al Roker on “Today,” are broadcasting live from their homes.
🚨 BREAKING: "The Dr. Oz Show" is shut down due to coronavirus after a staffer tested positive pic.twitter.com/OHaLcQdAFW
— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) March 19, 2020