- Fox News confirmed to Business Insider that it had “separated” from morning host Heather Childers.
- She had alarmed her colleagues on March 18, at the height of the New York coronavirus outbreak, when she reportedly went to work visibly ill, CNN reported Wednesday.
- On Twitter, Childers complained that he was unable to return to work despite negative evidence, and tagged President Donald Trump to get his attention.
- Visit the Business Insider home page for more stories.
Fox News confirmed that she “parted ways” with morning newscaster Heather Childers after she showed up to work visibly ill in March, at the height of the New York coronavirus outbreak, CNN reported Wednesday.
On March 18, Childers alarmed her colleagues when she showed up to work to host the “Fox & Friends First” morning show while she was visibly ill, according to the report.
He was in charge of the program again the next day, March 19. That was his last airborne appearance on the net.
Childers later tested negative for COVID-19, he wrote on Twitter, but remained off the air.
Fox News has confirmed that she is no longer an employee there. The network told Business Insider in a statement: “Fox News and Heather Childers have parted ways. We wish them all the best.”
After being taken off the air, Childers launched a campaign on Twitter in an apparent attempt to be reinstated, and even sought to gain the support of President Donald Trump.
—Heather Childers (@HeatherChilders) April 19, 2020
In other tweets, she complained about being removed by the network despite being negative for COVID-19.
Business Insider has attempted to contact Childers for comment.
The network has faced criticism for its coverage of the coronavirus crisis, with world-class hosts such as Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity claiming that the virus was exaggerated in an attempt to discredit Trump, and promoting unproven hydroxychloroquine against malaria as a possible cure.
Several recent academic studies have even linked Fox News coverage of the COVID-19 disease to higher infection rates in areas where the network is popular, suggesting that it had eroded confidence in public health measures, the Washington reported. Post in June.
Fox News has rejected the claim.
However, the network has also taken steps to protect staff from the virus, and cohosts present programs according to social distancing guidelines in different parts of the study rather than in the same room.
