MSNBC's Rachel Maddow emotionally reveals her partner has been sick with COVID-19: 'Don't get this thing'


MSNBC host Rachel Maddow is opening up about her partner Susan's experience with COVID-19 — and imploring her audience to do "whatever you can" to avoid getting it.
Maddow previously announced she would be quarantining after a close contact tested positive for the coronavirus, and on her show on Thursday, she revealed this close contact was her partner, Susan, the "center of my life."
"Susan has been sick with COVID these past couple of weeks, and at one point, we really thought that there was a possibility that it might kill her," Maddow said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The MSNBC host, who said she has tested negative for COVID-19 herself, went on to describe how Susan got "sicker and sicker" while they had to remain separated, though now she is "recovering" and is "gonna be fine." But after this scary experience, Maddow offered a plea to take the pandemic seriously, especially ahead of Thanksgiving.
"What you need to know is that whoever is the most important person in your life, whoever you most love and most care for and most cherish in the world, that's the person who you may lose," Maddow said "... However you've calibrated risk in your life, don't get this thing. Do whatever you can to keep from getting it."
Maddow added that while not having people over for Thanksgiving next week is "gonna suck," it's "gonna suck so much less than you or somebody in your family getting this and getting sick. Trust me." Brendan Morrow
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
France's war on 'Algerian Nutella'
Under The Radar A wildly popular hazelnut spread is causing a storm across the channel
-
John Kenney's 6 favorite books that will break your heart softly
Feature The novelist recommends works by John le Carré, John Kennedy Toole, and more
-
Book reviews: 'Buckley: The Life and the Revolution That Changed America' and 'How to Be Well: Navigating Our Self-Care Epidemic, One Dubious Cure at a Time'
Feature How William F. Buckley Jr brought charm to conservatism and a deep dive into the wellness craze
-
Kennedy ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory panel
speed read Health Secretary RFK Jr. is a longtime anti-vaccine activist who has criticized the panel of experts
-
RFK Jr. scraps Covid shots for pregnant women, kids
Speed Read The Health Secretary announced a policy change without informing CDC officials
-
New FDA chiefs limit Covid-19 shots to elderly, sick
speed read The FDA set stricter approval standards for booster shots
-
US overdose deaths plunged 27% last year
speed read Drug overdose still 'remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44,' said the CDC
-
Trump seeks to cut drug prices via executive order
speed read The president's order tells pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug prices, but it will likely be thrown out by the courts
-
RFK Jr. visits Texas as 2nd child dies from measles
Speed Read An outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease continues to grow following a decade of no recorded US measles deaths
-
Shingles vaccine cuts dementia risk, study finds
Speed Read Getting vaccinated appears to significantly reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia
-
Measles outbreak spreads, as does RFK Jr.'s influence
Speed Read The outbreak centered in Texas has grown to at least three states and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is promoting unproven treatments