Fox Business host Lou Dobbs in self-quarantine after staffer tests positive for coronavirus

Television host Lou Dobbs is in self-quarantine after a staffer on his Fox Business show tested positive for the coronavirus. 

“[Dobbs] is in self-quarantine tonight. We just learned that one of his team members has tested positive for COVID-19,” said Fox Business host David Asman. “We fully support that employee 100 percent, who we all wish a speedy recovery.

“Lou feels well, he has no symptoms, but out of an abundance of caution, he and his team are taking the necessary precautions,” Asman added.

“Lou is in self-quarantine. One of his team members tested positive.” pic.twitter.com/g76axSyayX

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) March 20, 2020

The news came after the network announced plans to remove two additional hours from its daily programming schedule. The move will temporarily cease production of Fox Business’s 5 a.m. program, “FBN am” and its 5 p.m. offering, “Bulls & Bears.”

“While FBN will remain committed to delivering up-to-the-minute breaking business news and analysis, our first priority is the health and safety of our employees,” Fox Business Network President Lauren Petterson said in a Friday statement. “This scaled back schedule will ensure we continue to deliver critical information to our audience amidst this global pandemic and time of market volatility while helping to fight the further escalation of the coronavirus.”

Dobbs’s show, “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” is set to air live at 5 p.m. in the place of “Bulls & Bears” and repeat at its usual time of 7 p.m.

The network also revamped its scheduling last week, adding four hours of live programming, including “Fox News @ Night” with Shannon Bream until 1 a.m. and having chief breaking news correspondent Trace Gallagher anchor from then until 4 a.m.

The shuffle is part of an effort to reduce “the staff footprint” at its New York City headquarters, the network said in a March 13 memo.