A second staffer at Fox Business Network has tested positive for coronavirus, according to a memo sent Saturday to employees by two top executives at Fox News Media.
“On the advice of medical professionals, we have now made the determination that this employee’s direct co-workers/team self-quarantine for 14 days since last contact. In addition to taking every necessary precaution and following every protocol, we are deep cleaning all areas this employee was in contact with, in addition to the daily sanitizing and disinfecting that has been performed several times a day throughout all key areas of the building,” Suzanne Scott, CEO of Fox News Media, and Jay Wallace president of Fox News Media, said in the message to employees.
On Friday, the Fox Corporation-owned unit disclosed a first discovery of an employee with the illness. On Friday evening, viewers of Fox Business were told that Lou Dobbs, who anchors one of Fox Business’ most-watched programs, was going into quarantine after an employee who works on his show was found to test positive.
“We will continue to keep everyone informed and up to speed as we manage this process and as any other situations arise. We are a team all working toward the same goal of performing a public service via our linear and non-linear platforms and we will all get through this together,” the executives said in the memo.
Many big TV news operations have had to contend with coronavirus breaking out among employees. CBS News had to keep employees out of its New York facilities for a few days and send its “CBS This Morning” to alternate sites for broadcast. NBC News is dealing with remote locations for several members of the anchor team of its flagship “Today.” ABC News has also had a staffer who works in its Los Angeles bureau test positive.
The affected employee has not been worked at Fox Corp.’s New York headquarters since Monday, March 16, and worked on the building’s 12th floor, the executives said. The previous employee’s last day at work was March 13, and that person worked on the 20th floor of the Fox offices.