By Oliver Darcy, CNN Business
Updated 3:48 PM EDT, Tue October 19, 2021
New York(CNN Business) CNN anchor and Chief National Correspondent John King told viewers on Tuesday that he has multiple sclerosis and is immunocompromised.
"I'm going to share a secret I've never shared before," King said. "I have multiple sclerosis. So I'm grateful you're all vaccinated."
The disclosure came on King's program, "Inside Politics," during a discussion about how General Colin Powell, who died of coronavirus complications, was more vulnerable to the virus because he also had multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells that suppresses the body's immune response.
King pointed out that people should get vaccinated not only to protect themselves, but also to protect those who are immunocompromised. People with certain medical conditions are still more susceptible than others to catching Covid-19 even after being vaccinated because they are less likely to mount an immune response, or may have a harder time fighting the infection.
King said that he is grateful CNN has mandated employees be vaccinated and said he worries about contracting the coronavirus and "bringing it home to my 10-year-old son who can't get a vaccine."
"I don't like the government telling me what to do, I don't like my boss telling me what to do," King said. "In this case it's important."
During the segment, King also discussed how some right-wing media figures, such as Fox News host Tucker Carlson, were dishonestly using Powell's death to cast doubt on the effectiveness of vaccines.
King called Carlson's behavior "reckless."