Jedediah Bila may not have gotten the welcome back she was expecting.
On Tuesday, the former co-host of “The View” returned virtually to her old show, but was met with some serious criticism because she is not vaccinated against COVID-19.
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Appearing remotely to promote her book, 'Dear Hartley,' former #TheView co-host @JedediahBila defends her position to not get vaccinated — which prevented her from being in-studio: "I am not anti-vax… However, I do oppose mandates." https://t.co/cVclFZQmjA pic.twitter.com/c1jQoYBm2T
— The View (@TheView) November 16, 2021
“Let’s discuss the elephant in the room,” Joy Behar said, getting away from the Fox News personality’s new memoir. “You were supposed to join us in the studio weeks ago, but you couldn’t because ABC has a very strict policy that you can’t get into this building unless you’re fully vaccinated…and you made a conscious decision not to get vaccinated.”
Bila explained that she has received a “medical exemption” for the vaccine that was apparently supported by an “infectious disease specialist” and three other doctors.
She also claimed, “I have sky-high, multi-tiered, multi-faceted natural immunity.”
Despite not being vaccinated, Bila said, “I am not anti-vax,” adding, “but what I really want is for people to make these decisions for themselves.”
Only she then began to make claims about the efficacy of the available vaccines, stating that it “does not prevent you from getting COVID and transmitting COVID,” at which point Behar groaned and said, “Oh my goodness. You have been at Fox News too long.”
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Sunny Hostin, whose mother and father-in-law both died of COVID, responded to Bila, “762,000 people have died of COVID including [husband] Manny’s parents. We’ve been friends a long time but I just don’t understand why you would prioritize your personal freedom over the health and safety of others.”
She added that she did not think “The View” should be allowing Bila to spread “misinformation” about COVID and vaccines, noting, “We have had the United States Surgeon General debunk everything you just said.”
Hostin then took to Instagram to share an array of posts regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and evidence to support having it.
Bila left Fox News to join “The View” in 2016, staying with the show for just one season before returning to Fox News. She has since departed the network once again.
In April 2020, Bila revealed that she and her husband had both contracted COVID.