Gayle King Reveals Her Plan to Ban Unvaccinated Family Members From Thanksgiving Holiday

Gayle King is keeping an eye on who has gotten the COVID-19 vaccine before letting them back into her social circle. On Monday, King revealed that family members who have not been vaccinated will not be welcome at her Thanksgiving celebration this year. She explained herself in an interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci on CBS This Morning.

"I don't know how many more times you can say to people, 'Listen, it will save your life,'" King said. "I have this problem with some members of my own family, which I'm now going to ban for Thanksgiving vacation. That's how strongly I'm taking what you're saying." King was referring to Fauci frequently urging the American people to get the novel coronavirus vaccine as soon as they were eligible. He was on CBS This Morning to reiterate that very same message. He felt that it was especially important as new variants like the Delta variant cause surges.

"We really [need] to get more people vaccinated because that's the solution," Fauci said. "This virus will, in fact, be protected against, with the vaccine."

King has been a vocal proponent of the COVID-19 vaccines, citing Fauci and other leading scientists from around the world in their research showing how effective and safe the vaccines are. On the personal side, she discussed the sense of relief the vaccine gave her in a recent interview with Stephen Colbert.

"I was so afraid to leave the house, you're right," she said. "We were broadcasting from here, so I'd literally go from my bedroom to the TV room to the kitchen to the bedroom to the TV room. For excitement, I'd go stand in the living room and wave at the birds! 'Hi, birds! Hi!' I was so afraid. But now, Stephen, I am vaccinated. It is my superpower. I am vaccinated. ... I'm taking little baby steps [back into the world]."

Of course, the personal protection the vaccines afford could be undercut in some cases by low vaccination rates within the populace. King is urging everyone who is eligible to get the vaccine so that the U.S. can achieve herd immunity and maintain safe public conduct without another surge of infections. She said: "Here's the thing: I'm tired of being scared. Honestly. I've been so afraid, hunkered down here at home. I'm tired of being scared."

For the latest information on the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccines — including eligibility and availability in your area — visit the CDC's website. At the time of this writing, an estimated 48.5 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated against the virus.