Dr. Drew Pinsky Tests Positive for COVID-19

Dr. Drew Pinsky has tested positive for COVID-19. The radio and TV personality shared he had contracted the novel coronavirus in a Tuesday Instagram post, sharing that he was “feeling better” alongside a photo of him resting in bed as his wife, Susan Sailer Pinsky, wears a face mask in the foreground.

“Cheers to the New Year with some Hydralyte for Covid-19. Drew tested positive day 4 and @firstladyoflove is negative #2020 #covid19 #youlive,” the caption reads, explaining that Susan had tested negative for the virus. “Drew is home, under surveillance and fever is down. Thanks Dr. Zelenko, Dr. Yo and Dr. Jeff for the superior care and advice. Drew is feeling better and will hopefully get well soon.”

The comment section was filled with well wishes as well as people admonishing Pinsky for his behavior throughout the pandemic. “He’s been traveling. Why are you all surprised he got it?” one person asked in the comments. Another added, “Drew, not trying to be an ass, but you spent so much time out and about. Traveling, partying it out at resorts, and acting like everything was fine. Sorry you caught it, but you brought that on yourself. Your jeans were low and loose from the beginning of Covid.”

Pinksy, 62, did find himself in hot water at the beginning of the pandemic for the comments he made about the coronavirus outbreak. In an interview with KTLA on March 2, he called the pandemic ” a press-induced panic” and compared the virus to the common flu. “Way less serious than influenza — that should be the headline,” he said at the time.

A month later, Pinsky walked back his claims, which included that chances of someone dying of the coronavirus are worse than being “hit by an asteroid.” More than 366,000 people have died due to the coronavirus in the U.S. as of today. Pinksy said at the time that he made a mistake of comparing COVID-19 to the flu without looking at how devastating the disease is.

“My early comments about equating coronavirus with influenza were wrong. They were incorrect. I was part of a chorus that was saying that. And we were wrong. And I want to apologize for that,” he said in his apology. “I did not, thank goodness, get Dr. [Anthony] Fauci wrong, and when he made it clear that this was not a usual influenza, that it was significantly worse, I adjusted course. And if you notice, I’ve been doing about two hours of media today backing, changing my perspective in such a way to sign on for the aggressive measures we are taking.”