'The View' Loses Second Co-Host This Week Due to COVID Protocols

The View returned this week after taking a break for the holidays. But two co-hosts have already had to take some time off due to the show's COVID-19 protocols. According to Deadline, co-host Joy Behar announced on Tuesday's episode that Sara Haines had been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. The show's announcement came only one day after they shared that Whoopi Goldberg tested positive for COVID-19. 

At the top of the hour, Behar explained why Haines wasn't able to take part in filming the episode. She said, "Sara was in close contact, so she's not here. It's like Agatha Christie, 'And then there were three." Behar went on to say that Haines "feels fine" and that she's simply "laying low today." While she wasn't able to take part in filming Tuesday's episode, Haines did appear on the program on Monday albeit remotely (the other co-hosts have also been filming The View remotely following the show's return). In addition to Behar, the rest of Tuesday's panel included Sunny Hostin, Ana Navarro, and Yvette Nicole Brown, the latter of whom filled in for Haines. 

On Monday, Behar announced that Goldberg wouldn't be on hand for the episode after she tested positive for COVID-19. She began the episode by saying, "They say there's no place like home for the holidays and that's exactly where we are this year. Happy New Year from all of our living rooms. As you can see we're back in boxes and doing the show remotely – hopefully for just a week, I'm praying that it's just a week but you never know because this omicron thing is all over the place." The co-host then explained the reason behind Goldberg's absence, saying, "Why am I here instead of Whoopi? Well, Whoopi, unfortunately, tested positive over the break but she'll be back probably next week. Since she's vaxxed and boosted, her symptoms have been very, very, mild. But we're being super cautious here at The View."

Goldberg previously missed the Dec. 15 and 16 tapings of The View in mid-December after she was exposed to COVID-19. However, she did appear on the Dec. 17 episode of the series as it was taped in advance. These updates about The View come amid a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country due to a rise of the omicron variant.