Oprah Winfrey has separated from her partner Stedman Graham while in self-quarantine since the COVID-19 outbreak.
Winfrey, 66, said she’s not taking any chances during the global public health emergency, but Graham was “late to the party.”
During a remote Instagram Live session with Oprah magazine’s digital director Arianna Davis on Monday, the entertainment mogul revealed that Graham has been living in the guest house of their Santa Barbara home since returning from a business trip to St. Louis on Thursday.
“He’s at the guest house, because you all know I had pneumonia late last year,” Winfrey said. “I had just gotten off of antibiotics last week, because I had a bronchial infection.”
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Winfrey said initially Graham, 69, didn’t take the public health threat seriously and failed to take certain precautions while traveling.
“‘I don’t see what everybody’s getting so upset about,’” Winfrey recalled Graham saying.
However, he did phone ahead to ask about procedures before returning home.
“The procedure is you ain’t coming and sleeping in my bed” she said, “And literally, he goes, ‘I’m not?’ And I go, oh no, it doesn’t work that way. Have you not been paying attention to the news?”
“Social distancing does not mean you go and sleep in the same bed with the person when you just got off American Airlines,” Winfrey explained. “And that’s why Stedman’s at the guest house!”
Winfrey said, her other half wasn’t upset about the arrangements. She posted a second video of Graham at the guest house during one of her wellness checks and meal drop-offs.
“It’s not bad,” Graham shouted from a window. Although the couple said they miss each other, Winfrey noted, “He’s happy to keep me safe.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says adults age 65 years and older are at higher risk for coronavirus. The CDC recommends everyone take the following precautions:
-Stay home if possible.
-Wash hands often.
-Avoid crowds and close contact in public.
-Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
-Avoid all cruise travel and non-essential air travel.
-Stock up on supplies.
