The View’s Sunny Hostin calls out former Fox News host for ‘misinformation’
Jedediah Bila, who was once the conservative voice on the show, sparred with the co-host about vaccination.
Jedediah Bila, a former co-host of ABC’s The View, visited the Emmy-winning daytime talk show remotely Tuesday to plug her new book “Dear Heartley.” But she also made time to spar with co-host Sunny Hostin about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Hostin accused the former Fox News host, who served as The View’s conservative voice during the 2016-17 season, of spewing vaccine “misinformation” and challenged her refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Deadline reports.
“Let’s discuss the elephant in the room,” said co-host Joy Behar. “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 claimed to have a “medical exemption” to the vaccine and noted that “I have sky-high, multi-tiered, multi-faceted natural immunity.
“I am not anti-vax,” Bila added, “but what I really want is for people to make these decisions for themselves.”
Watch the segment below.
When Bila noted on The View that the COVID-19 vaccine “does not prevent you from getting COVID and transmitting the potentially deadly virus,” Behar snapped, “Oh my goodness. You have been at Fox News too long.”
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms that the vaccines are not 100% effective at preventing infection, and fully vaccinated people can still contract COVID-19, it promotes vaccination to help reduce the severity of and slow the spread of the deadly virus.
Hostin said The View should not allow guests like Bila to come on the show and spread “misinformation,” and told her former colleague, “We have had the United States Surgeon General debunk everything you just said.”
Several viewers hit up the show’s official Twitter page to slam Bila’s vaccine stance, while others came to her defense.
One Twitter user wrote, “Well, that was unfortunate… and irresponsible. @TheView should bring a doctor on IMMEDIATELY after Bila’s segment to refute her COVID vaccine misinformation.”
Another added, “So many silly comments on this. Everyone screaming misinformation but don’t point to the misinfo. Everything she said is correct. The vaccine does not stop the spread. Some people should not take the vaccine due to their own personal health risks. These are all true.”
A third commented, “With the high death counts–it saves lives to have mandates. Just think what the polio shot in the ’50s saved in debilitating health conditions due to mandates”. Have a private “opinion” when you are in a prominent, influencing position as is Bida.”
A Twitter user who claims to be fully vaxxed replied to The VIew directly condemning the handling of the interview with Bila, writing: “Should be called “our view and no one else’s matters.” This could have been a good conversation, but instead it was all about treating the unvaccinated like crap. Im vaccinated and respect other people’s decisions. I don’t fear covid because the vaccine will help me, right?”
Check out additional reactions below.
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