Former ‘Bachelor’ Arie Luyendyk Jr. tests positive for COVID-19

Many of you have been wondering why we haven't done 'Bachelor Brunch,' why we've been so absent on social media, and why I'm sitting, like, 25 feet away from the girls, "It's actually because I tested positive for COVID

Washington: Former ‘Bachelor’ Arie Luyendyk Jr. revealed on Thursday (local time) that he tested positive for COVID-19 and has had to socially distance himself from his wife, Lauren Luyendyk, and their one-year-old daughter, Alessi.

“Many of you have been wondering why we haven’t done ‘Bachelor Brunch,’ why we’ve been so absent on social media, and why I’m sitting, like, 25 feet away from the girls, “It’s actually because I tested positive for COVID,” the 39-year-old racing car driver said on his Instagram Stories, Page Six has reported.

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Arie did not detail his symptoms or disclose where he may have contracted coronavirus, but said the experience has been “rough.”

He said, “It’s not been easy being separated. I’ve been on the other side of the house. Lauren has been really sweet. She’s been keeping me fed. She just slides some food outside and then I go get it.”

Arie recorded the video on Thanksgiving from an outdoor space in his home, while his wife and the little girl sat on the opposite end of the table.

“Thanksgiving 2020,” he said in a clip, reaching out his hand to Lauren, who responded, “You’re so far away.”

As reported by Page Six, Arie shared on Friday that he was in line for a rapid test to see if he was now negative.

He captioned a selfie from the testing site, “Still waiting …. “Rapid tests are really hard to come by here (everyone is out of them). Had to go to an independent lab that charges $125. They do 300 tests a day and run through them before lunch.”

Page Six reported, the former ‘Bachelor,’ who starred on the show’s 22nd season, has not yet given an update on those results.