With the coronavirus pandemic ongoing, news outlets are shifting priorities in coverage to better handle the latest updates from around the world. For some, that means sacrificing programming elsewhere, which is exactly what ABC will be doing in the meantime with Strahan, Sara & Keke. Michael Strahan's show will be put on hold for the time being in order to usher in a new program to take its place: Pandemic: What You Need To Know.
The new series, which is set to premiere Wednesday, March 18 at 1:00 p.m. ET, will be anchored by Amy Robach. With the help of ABC News' chief medical correspondent Jennifer Ashton, the goal of the program is "to address the widespread issues caused by the global pandemic and offer solutions from those adjusting to a new way of life," according to ABC. The program will re-broadcast each day on ABC News at 4 p.m. ET.
Pandemic: What You Need To Know won't just cover the updates on the virus. It will also give families tips on how to navigate the rapid change of life as we know it. This includes tips for homeschooling children, and conversations with experts who will help lay out the facts and debunk the fiction circulating about the illness. Essentially, this program can be a guide to navigating the "new normal" that is affecting millions living across the nation presently.
Strahan, Sara & Keke has been a part of the ABC lineup since 2018, and is considered an extension of Good Morning America. As mentioned, the switch-up is only temporary, and part of multiple networks' efforts to further educate the public about the importance of social distancing and preventing the spread of coronavirus. Once the pandemic crisis is over, it's likely that ABC will bring back the program.
Michael Strahan and crew aren't the only ones sacrificing a slot at ABC either. ABC has also flip-flopped the time slots for Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Nightline, as the former has had its production suspended for at least the next two weeks. So, if there is anyone with a tinfoil hat on thinking this is all a front for some secret Good Morning America shakeup, it really isn't.
In fact, multiple networks have committed to alter their programming in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. NBC, Telemundo, and Fox News are also making moves in their programming in order to share more information about the coronavirus in place of typical opinion-based shows. With more and more shows going into hiatus or suspending production, this may be one of the few new things to watch on television in the distant future.
Pandemic: What You Need To Know will debut on ABC Wednesday, March 18 at 1:00 p.m. ET. As always, continue to stick with CinemaBlend for the latest major news in television and movies.
