Political talk show host and comedian Bill Maher, who is fully vaccinated, has tested positive for COVID-19.
HBO’s political talk show “Real Time with Bill Maher” announced in a statement late Thursday that Maher had tested positive during a weekly staff PCR test for the
CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.
“He is fully vaccinated and as a result is asymptomatic and feels fine,” the statement reads.
It added that the Friday taping of the program had been cancelled and rescheduled at a later date. No other staff or crew members have tested positive for the virus.
“Thanks to all wishing me get well—hard to do since I feel perfectly fine, but I appreciate it!” Maher
said in a Twitter post late Thursday. “Most upset about ending my streak going back to 1993 of never missing a Politically Incorrect or Real Time episode. Oh well, even Cal Ripken had to sit one out at some point.”
“Real Time with Bill Maher,” which premiered in 2003, is in its 19th season on the HBO television network. Maher had previously hosted a similar show called “Politically Incorrect,” originally on Comedy Central and later on ABC.
The Centers for Disease Control refers to COVID-19 cases that occur after a person is fully vaccinated as vaccine breakthrough cases.
“Vaccine breakthrough cases are expected,” the health agency said on its
website. “COVID-19 vaccines are effective and are a critical tool to bring the pandemic under control. However, no vaccines are 100% effective at preventing illness. There will be a small percentage of people who are fully vaccinated who still get sick, are hospitalized, or die from COVID-19.”
It added, “There is some evidence that vaccination may make illness less severe.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on Thursday that people who are vaccinated against COVID-19 don’t have to wear a mask while outdoors. On the same day, the CDC
announced that those who are fully vaccinated do not have to wear a mask while indoors in most places.
