‘Today’ Show Host Gives Health Update During COVID-19 Absence

Today Show co-host Craig Melvin gave an update on his family’s health after everyone at his home tested positive for COVID-19. Melvin, 42, called into the third hour of Today Tuesday to report that he is doing well, but everyone has shown mild symptoms of the illness. Melvin recently announced plans to leave MSNBC but will remain a Today Show anchor.

Melvin, his wife Lindsay Czarniak, son Delano, 8, and daughter Sybil, 5, all recently tested positive for COVID-19, he told his Today co-hosts from home. “Our producers can be very persuasive,” Melvin joked about the decision to call into Today while he was sick. He said his family was vaccinated and received their booster shots. Everyone is “doing all right,” and their mild symptoms include cough and fatigue.

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The journalist said he is aware of how lucky his family is. “Compared to what some other folks are dealing with, it’s not that bad,” he said. He went on to joke that staying home with young children who are also sick was “work.” The children have been keeping busy by watching their favorite movies and television shows and playing in the backyard.

The extra days home gave Melvin an opportunity to focus on his fig plant. “I noticed it started to look a little less healthy than it had. I thought it had COVID, as well,” Melvin said. “So I FaceTimed in a friend of mine, and we realized that the… plant had been overwatered.”

Melvin gave Today‘s viewers an example of his symptoms when he broke into a coughing fit while laughing. Dylan Dreyer pointed out that her married name, Fichera, means fig tree, so he will “always think of me” when she sees his fig tree. “That’s what I want,” Melvin said as he laughed and coughed. Dreyer later sneezed during the interview, which led Melvin to joke that she might get COVID next. However, Dreyer said she got a negative test on Monday.

Sheinelle Jones told Melvin he should relish this extra time with his family. He agreed. “The kids are thoroughly enjoying the sleepovers and the episodes and uninterrupted time with Mom and Dad. And truth be told, they’re actually doing OK,” Melvin said. “Linds and I are the ones that have more symptoms than they do.”

Melvin joined NBC News in 2011 and anchored his own show on MSNBC until March. He is now the news anchor on Today and a co-host of Today Third Hour. “This nearly decade-long stretch of hosting a cable news program has been a tremendous honor,” Melvin said during his final MSNBC show in March. “I’m so very thankful for the opportunity to really have had a front-row seat to so much history: tumultuous campaigns, elections, natural disasters, far too many mass shootings, and of course, a global pandemic.”