Barbara Walters was absent from "The View" on Monday morning. Co-host Whoopi Goldberg announced (embedded) why: Walters is suffering from chicken pox.
In addition, Walters was known to already be recovering from a head injury she suffered during the recent Inauguration weekend.
Goldberg said:
We want to give you an update on Barbara. You all know that she fell and cut her head 10 days ago, and then was running a temperature, but it turns out it is all the result of a delayed childhood.
Barbara has the chicken pox. She'd never had it as a child. So now she's been told to rest, she's not allowed any visitors. and we're telling you, Barbara, no scratching.
We love you. We miss you. We just don't want to hug you.
Normally thought of as a childhood disease, the effects of chicken pox are more severe in adults.
Walters could have avoided chicken pox by being vaccinated. A vaccine has been available since 1995. WebMD says that "All adults who have never had chickenpox or received the vaccination should be vaccinated against it. Two doses of the vaccine should be given at least four weeks apart."
Barbara Walters appears to have been a risk-taker when it comes to childhood diseases she never had. Her reps have not replied to questions about whether or not Walters has had mumps, measles, and the like.
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