Big Brother's Janelle Pierzina Provides Scary Health Update Months After COVID-19 Diagnosis

Janelle Pierzina on Big Brother All-Stars CBS

Big Brother legend Janelle Pierzina was must-see television when she was on Season 22, but it doesn't seem like she'll be making any cameos in Season 23 after a scary health update posted to fans. Janelle shared an update on her health, months after she publicly revealed she had tested positive for COVID-19.

Janelle Pierzina posted on Twitter to fans that she had just returned from the hospital. The Big Brother star explained the reason for her stay with fans and encouraged everyone to be safe.

update Just got back from the hospital. Mild case of asthma went to mild to severe inflammation. They had to give me ventilation treatment. My lungs are scarred but healing, they said it’s going to take at least 3 months to repair. Please be safe out there everyone #covid19

The end of the tweet featured the hashtag for COVID-19, though it wasn't explicitly confirmed one way or the other whether or not Janelle's recent inflammation of asthma was at all tied to her past COVID-19 diagnosis. In a follow-up tweet to a fan's question about whether the issues were related to COVID-19, Janelle explained that her diagnosis was back in January and that the scarring in her lungs happened over the winter, which still leaves things a bit up in the air. Pierzina added in another tweet that due to her diagnosis, she wasn't available to receive the vaccine for COVID until the last week of April.

Janelle Pierzina seemed to be in brighter spirits when she was first diagnosed with COVID-19, as she tweeted to fans not long after. Janelle even cracked a joke or two about her situation, perhaps in an effort to add some levity and assure fans that she was fine despite the illness.

I think one of the symptoms of Covid-19 is extreme bitchiness/irritability. Other than that I'm feeling great! Thank goodness i don't have to be around people right now. Self isolating has always been my thing so I'll be fine.

Many in the Big Brother community wished Janelle Pierzina well after the initial tweet, but after that tweet and another in February comparing her COVID to mono, others chastised the star for activities that they believed showed she was irresponsible during the pandemic. Pierzina ultimately deactivated her Twitter for a time following the backlash from some fans but has since returned to keep all her fans in the loop on what's happening in her life. Hopefully, she'll be well enough to share her thoughts on this upcoming season of Big Brother!

Big Brother Season 23 is set to premiere Wednesday, July 7 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Get amped up for the upcoming season by revisiting the past season's craziest moments, and get the scoop here on the details behind them. For example, read up on Christine Varner's theory that production helped Frankie Grande win his iconic Battle of the Block competition.

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Mick Joest
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Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.