Brooke Baldwin delivers emotional address in return to CNN airwaves

CNN’s Brooke Baldwin is back to work after beating COVID-19.

The network anchor took three weeks off after announcing she had tested positive for the coronavirus on April 3. In numerous mental and physical health updates over the course of her sickness, Baldwin described a “relentless, scary and lonely” battle against the virus.

On Monday, she returned to her afternoon program “CNN Newsroom” and shared a message of gratitude to all those who had reached out to her.

“Boy, am I glad to be back. Let me start with a thank you. Thank you for sending me so much love and prayers. COVID-19 gave me a beating physically and mentally,” she said in her opening address, recounting the severe fevers, body aches, chills and emotional distress she’d faced over the past weeks.

“I never knew when it would end.”

She extended her deepest condolences to those with loved ones facing the virus, and her gratitude to front-line medical workers and to scientists working to understand the disease.

While she was unwell, Baldwin said, she spent a lot of time thinking about how she and others should respond to the pandemic and the societal inequities it has exposed by leaving people unemployed and isolated. She concluded that now is a time for “kindness and generosity.”

“Let’s extend it to those who are disproportionately affected by coronavirus. Let’s extend it to those who deliver our mail, stock our groceries, collect our garbage. Let’s extend it to our families, our friends, and yes, even our adversaries,” she said.

“I know it’s tough, and it still is. When the world reopens for good, let’s remember these more challenging times and remind ourselves we have the power to take care of one another.”

Other CNN anchors Chris Cuomo and Richard Quest had also tested positive for the coronavirus. Quest announced his diagnosis last week, saying he had mild symptoms. Cuomo, who tested positive in March, said he faced more severe symptoms but has also since recovered.