When the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March of 2020, no one would’ve suspected that we’d still be dealing with the virus almost two years later. Although there have been brief moments where it seems like things were getting close to being under control, we have gotten to a place where cases are back on the rise and the hospitals are getting full. As a result, many people are doing their best to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. Among those people is legendary media mogul, Oprah Winfrey. As the holiday season approached, news began to spread that anyone who wanted to attend Oprah’s Christmas party was going to have to abide by her list of COVID protocols. Keep reading to learn more about Oprah’s strict COVID guidelines for her holiday part.
Here’s What Oprah Is Requiring Of Her Guests
Even before COVID, making it into Oprah Winfrey’s house probably wasn’t an easy thing to do. However, as the virus continues to spread, she has decided to take several measures to help ensure everyone’s safety. In an Instagram post on December 23rd, Oprah wrote, “Everyone who is spending Christmas at my house has to be vaccinated, boosted, tested, and quarantined. Stedman calls it “The Policy” cause I’m that serious about it. This was release day for our bubble and we knew we had to throw a welcome celebration for Baby Luca, who none of us had met yet!” Oprah also noted that her long-time bestie, Gayle King, had not yet made it to her house due to the fact that she hadn’t met all of the requirements of Oprah’s policy. However, Oprah didn’t specify which part of the policy King failed to adhere to. Some who saw Oprah’s post felt that she was calling King out in a negative way, but it appears that she was simply trying to get ahead of explaining why Gayle wasn’t in the photos she posted.
While there are some people who think that Oprah’s requirements are too much, the kicker is that most of us don’t have to worry since we would never be invited to Oprah’s house in the first place. Those who were invited didn’t seem to have any problem following Oprah’s rules. She has since shared several photos and videos on Instagram and it appears that everyone is having a good time hanging out at her estate. Still, however, that didn’t stop people from heading to social media to share their thoughts. In response to Oprah’s policy, a Twitter user named shleptonic wrote, “If you’re so worried about COVID Oprah you might want to look in the mirror. You’re still fat and clearly that’s a risk factor. It’s been going on for almost two years- if you were really scared you’d be anorexic by now.” Others criticized Oprah for still having a holiday party in the first place.
Who Was In Attendance At Oprah’s Party?
Oprah has shared her life with the world for more than 30 years. However, she has always maintained a high level of privacy when it comes to certain things. From what we know, the complete guest list for her party hasn’t been released to the public. However, we do know that Gayle King’s daughter, Kirby Bumpus, was present along with Kirby’s husband and their baby. Gayle King was also there in addition to Oprah’s longtime partner, Steadman. Based on photos and videos that Oprah posted over Christmas weekend, it appears that the gathering was small and intimate.
How Will Oprah Handle Gatherings Going Forward?
Since the start of the pandemic, Oprah has made it very clear that she is serious about avoiding the virus as much as she possibly can. After the release of the vaccine, she opted to get the jab and encouraged other people to do the same. Although her holiday party requirements got lots of attention, this isn’t the first time Oprah has requested that people be vaccinated before coming to her home. Since it’s clear that COVID won’t be going anywhere any time soon, it seems very likely that Oprah will continue to ask that people test negative and be vaccinated before entering her space. Even though there are mixed feelings on the best ways to stay safe during this time, you really can’t fault people for doing what they feel they need to in order to protect their health. Oprah may be a billionaire, but health is one of the few things that money can’t by so it makes sense that she would want to protect herself.
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