Utter confusion unfolded on live television when co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro were abruptly asked to leave the set of The View on Friday after testing positive for COVID-19. The unexpected announcement happened as Joy Behar was preparing to welcome Vice President Kamala Harris to the stage for a live interview.
Before Harris joined the hosts, however, somebody off-camera asked Hostin and Navarro to “step off for a second.” While the audience and the remaining hosts looked on with confusion, having no idea why the women were being told to leave, Behar asked the producers if she should introduce Harris as planned. One of the executives replied with a "yes" before someone overrode the decision and said "no."
Behar learned about her colleagues' positive test results during a commercial break and explained the situation to the audience when the show returned minutes later.
“OK, since this is going to be a major news story any minute now, what happened is, Sunny and Ana both apparently tested positive for COVID,” she said. “No matter how hard we try, these things happen, they probably have a breakthrough case. They’re both vaccinated up the wazoo.”
BREAKING: Sunny and Ana have been asked to leave the ABC studio because they tested positive for COVID.#TheView
pic.twitter.com/DMIYrjHjid— The Chat (@LiveOnTheChat) September 24, 2021
The bizarre incident certainly garnered plenty of attention on social media. Some were wondering why the test results weren't known before the show went live.
Why wasn't this known BEFORE the show started?
— DrGigiB (@DrGingembre) September 24, 2021
Social media users also took the opportunity to urge government officials to get a better handle of the pandemic, which is still raging in many areas of the country.
This is getting ridiculous. It really is. We need our leaders to get to the bottom of this Covid issue. I am Vaxxed. But still have to worry about getting a breakthrough case or possibly spreading it. How do we squash this for once and for all. This pandemic is nowhere near over!
— Henry Louis Adams (@passionatefaith) September 24, 2021
While some anti-vaxxers joined the discussion to blast the effectiveness of the vaccine, others tried to explain how the shots make a huge difference.
The vaccinated aren't 95 percent of the ones in hospital, clogging up the system. If you people still don't understand that the vaccine is for preventing death, we can't help you.
— R ???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? (@tuxiesmama) September 24, 2021
Many of those who are concerned about the safety of others also urged people to wear a mask.
Considering you can still spread COVID even when vaccinated,clearly as we saw in the video, and they’re sitting so close to each other—so why no mask? ????????????
— Danny Bravo???? (@Authorofmy_20s) September 24, 2021
The producers ultimately decided to interview Harris remotely even though she was in the building, The Daily Beast reported.
“Before we go into the pandemic question that I have for you, I just want to say, I hope that you’re in a safe spot right now,” Behar told Harris. “We did everything we could to make sure you’re safe because we value you so much.”
The 56-year-old used the opportunity to promote the vaccine.
“Thank you, Joy, and to everyone and, listen, Sunny and Ana are strong women and I know they’re fine,” Harris said. “But it really does speak to the fact they’re vaccinated and vaccines really make all the difference because otherwise we would be concerned about hospitalization and worse.”
According to The Hill, a White House official said Harris didn't come in contact with Hostin or Navarro before the show on Friday.
