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Sunrise presenter in isolation after COVID scare

Edwina Bartholomew, who is pregnant, has had one shot of a Pfizer vaccine.

Edwina Bartholomew, who is pregnant, has had one shot of a Pfizer vaccine. Photo: Twitter

Sunrise news presenter Edwina Bartholomew is in isolation after a COVID scare on the set of the Seven Network breakfast show.

The Sunrise studio was deep-cleaned over night and stars tested for the virus after a crew member was confirmed with the virus on Thursday.

Executive producer Michael Pell confirmed the positive case via social media on Friday morning.

“The team has been tested and is OK,” he said.

“Strict protocols remain in place. The show must go on.”

The infected staffer worked in the building in Sydney’s Martin Place on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Seven said the worker was double vaccinated, does not live in one of Sydney’s COVID hotspot areas and is asymptomatic. Their infection was picked up when they were tested after being identified as a close contact of a case.

“Hello and welcome to Friday everyone. We join you after a COVID scare of our own,” Natalie Barr told viewers on Friday.

“The studio here has been deep cleaned after a staffer tested positive, we have all been tested, everyone here is OK.”

Bartholomew, who is pregnant, was identified as a close contact of the infected staffer. She must isolate for 14-days, regardless of her test result.

Earlier this week, she told the Sunrise audience she had had one dose of the Pfizer vaccine. She joined the show by video call on Friday.

‘I’m doing OK … very grateful to be at least half-vaccinated and thankful so much that the other staff member was double vaccinated,” Bartholomew said.

She said she had already returned a negative test.

“It’s a huge, huge relief… It was a very sleepless night,” she said.

Sunrise went ahead on Friday with a fill-in news presenter and another co-host.

Seven said it had set up a rapid antigen testing station for its staff who cannot work from home during the NSW’s virus outbreak. Media services are considered “essential” and can operate during the lockdown.

Barr, Koch and the show’s other presenter, Mark Beretta, are fully vaccinated.

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