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Who is Dr Drew Pinsky? All about celebrity doctor who got Covid-19 after downplaying deadly virus 

Previously, he said, Covid-19 was no worse than the flu and that the probability of dying of coronavirus was less than being hit by an asteroid

'FOX 11 Special Report' co-host Dr Drew Pinsky announced on Tuesday, December 29, that he has tested positive for Covid-19. In the series of videos posted by him on Instagram, Drew agreed that he previously downplayed the virus.

The 62-year-old radio and television personality, revealed his diagnosis in an Instagram post, made on Tuesday, December 29. The post read, "Cheers to the New Year with some Hydralyte for Covid-19. Drew tested positive day 4 and @firstladyoflove is negative. #2020 #covid19 #youlive. Drew is home, under survelliance and fever is down. Thanks Dr. Zelenko, Dr. Yo and Dr. Jeff for the superior care and advice. Drew is feeling better and will hopefully get well soon." The post, written alongside a photo of Pinsky in bed, also said his wife, Susan Sailer Pinsky, tested negative. Pinsky’s wife wrote the Instagram post. He is currently undergoing treatment at his Southern California home and is reportedly expected to make a full recovery.

Drew later followed up on his condition in an additional Instagram post thanking those who checked in on him. "COVID’s no fun. I don’t recommend it," Dr. Drew said. "I’m sort of through the viral phase, which is when the virus is reproducing and took a lot of good medications to attack [the virus] early… Man, am I glad to get it now and not earlier in the course. I’m waiting for an antibody infusion but if this thing resolves before I get the infusion, so much the better," he said in a video message posted by him on Instagram. In fact, the man had been "wishing for" a positive coronavirus test. "Because I had this terrible acute febrile illness and was testing negative, and if I did not have COVID, I had acute lymphocytic leukemia, which I did not want to have," he had said.

Previously, he suggested that Covid-19 was no worse than the flu and that the probability of dying of coronavirus was less than being hit by an asteroid. However, in April, he made an apology where he blamed his remarks on a 'press-induced panic'. “I wish I had gotten it right, but I got it wrong,” he had said. In his apology, Pinsky admitted to being “part of a chorus” that believed the coronavirus was like the flu. He had dismissed the ferocity of the illness and had been primarily looking at the number of influenza cases.

As soon as the news made its way to social media, people started reacting to it, as one Internet user said, "I have no ******** idea who "Dr. Drew" is - but I am assuming that he is going to go to Jiffy Lube to get treated for Covid?" While another one wrote, "It's hard to feel sympathy for a doctor who wasn't just wrong, but blatantly wrong & broadcasted it to the world. "My early comments about equating coronavirus with influenza were wrong. They were incorrect. I was part of a chorus that was saying that."

One said, "Dr. Drew now admitting COVID-19 is serious after downplaying it is typical of a person who doesn’t care until it happens to them. Republicans are like that. Kinda their jam." Sharing the video where Drew downplayed the virus, another one said, "Dr. drew just got covid. here is what that grifter was saying about it earlier in the year"

Another one slammed him and wrote, "Just like so many Republicans who cannot admit that #COVID19 is not like the flu, much worse, until they get it personally, Dr. Drew now has it & wants to unring the bell he kept ringing." While one wrote, "Dr. Drew getting COVID is karmic. I wish everyone who denied the reality of this virus would get it. I don't want them to DIE from it, but at least get as sick as I was. While they're doubled over in tears from the pain, puking, I'll say "Hey, 98% recovery...good stuff, right?"

Who is Drew Pinsky?

Born on September 4, 1958, David Drew Pinsky is commonly known as Dr Drew, is a celebrity internist and addiction medicine specialist. His website describes him as 'a combination of running a thriving medical practice (he still treats patients!), while simultaneously cultivating a successful media career, has resulted in an unprecedented reservoir of expertise. ' He previously used to work at the Department of Chemical Dependency Services at Las Encinas Hospital in Pasadena, California and Huntington Memorial Hospital. Drew lives in Pasadena, California with his wife Susan and are parents to triplets. 

He now hosts the hit MTV reality television series, 'Teen Mom OG', as well as all of the 'Teen Mom 2' reunion specials. He began his media career as the host of the nationally acclaimed radio talk show 'Loveline'. The show started in 1984 and ran till 2016 end. He also hosted the talk show 'Dr Drew On Call' on HLN and The CW daytime series 'Lifechangers'. He also served as a producer and starred in the VH1 TV show 'Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew', and later in the spinoffs titled, 'Sex Rehab with Dr Drew' and 'Celebrity Rehab Presents Sober House'. Currently, he hosts numerous podcasts, including 'The Dr Drew Podcast', 'This Life with Dr. Drew', 'Dr Drew After Dark' on the Your Mom's House network, and 'The Adam and Drew Show' with his former Loveline co-host Adam Carolla. 

He has also made multiple appearances on Ellen, Oprah, Rachael Ray, The View, Dr. Oz, Steve Harvey Show, Wendy Williams, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Good Morning America, The Today Show, CNN and the Fox News Channel. The news network staple is the author of the New York Times bestseller “The Mirror Effect: How Celebrity Narcissism is Seducing America” (Harper-Collins), and “Cracked: Putting Broken Lives Together Again” (Harper-Collins). Dr. Drew co-authored the first academic study on celebrities and narcissism. The study was published in the Journal of Research in Personality (Elsevier) and received worldwide press coverage.