The world hoped that getting COVID-19 would make people immune to getting it again — but that's sadly turned out not to be the case, as it's turning out to be very possible to catch it more than once in quick succession. Just ask late-night hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, who have both had double bouts of COVID-19.
On April 19, The Late Show was paused after Colbert tested positive for COVID. He returned to the air on May 2, but then announced that his symptoms had recurred on May 9, and the show once again stopped taping.
On April 19, The Late Show was paused after Colbert tested positive for COVID. He returned to the air on May 2, but then announced that his symptoms had recurred on May 9, and the show once again stopped taping.
Now, Kimmel has experienced a similar situation. He announced that he had tested positive on May 2 and would be taking some time away from the show. He returned to the air, but then on May 17, tested positive again. He is once again taking a break from the show.
Back hosting The Last Show, Colbert made a joke about Kimmel's double bout with COVID, saying, "Getting COVID twice is kind of my thing."
In place of Kimmel, John Mulaney and Andy Samberg guest-hosted his show. They also poked fun at the host for getting COVID for a second time within three weeks.
It's not entirely clear if Colbert and Kimmel actually contracted COVID-19 twice, or if they simply had a resurgence of the original virus. But clearly, getting COVID-19 once doesn't mean it's gone forever — since the writer of this story also managed to test positive two separate times within three weeks.