American Idol judge Luke Bryan is feeling thankful that he recovered from COVID-19. The country music singer was diagnosed with the virus in early April, right before the first live show of season 19. At the time, he said on social media he was sad that he couldn't appear on Idol but noted that he's "doing well and look forward to being back at it soon." Original American Idol judge Paula Abdul ended up filling in for him on April 12, and she provided critiques alongside Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.

American Idol was off the air for one week to make room for the Academy Awards. Leading up to that brief hiatus, the contestants performed Oscar-nominated songs. Then the following night, 10 singers from season 18 returned for a chance at the final spot in this year's Top 10. The results won't be announced until Idol returns on May 2 when the finalists perform music from the Disney catalog. This corporate synergy will include a trip to Disney World, though American Idol fans are concerned for the contestants' safety during the pandemic. That concern is understandable, especially after Bryan's diagnosis. American Idol normally follows strict COVID protocols in the studio, so taking a flight across the country in the middle of a pandemic is worrisome to many viewers.

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During a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Bryan reflected on his diagnosis, stating that he "thankfully got through" the ordeal, adding, "Like so many people out there, I was doing as good as I could. I really had done a great job at masks and all of that. And then to have that happen, it was a bummer." After he was diagnosed, the American Idol judge did what was necessary to recover, which included quarantining away from his family. He went on to say he "quarantined myself off in a part of the house. And it was pretty easy to get through as far as symptoms. But [I'm] certainly glad I'm back in the chair now. I'm back rocking." He then transitioned to praising the talent competing in season 19 of American Idol.

When Bryan announced his diagnosis, everyone wondered how long he would be gone from American Idol. It seems as if he recovered quickly, though some fans questioned the timeline of his diagnosis, considering he was able to return to the American Idol studio one week later. As mentioned above, Idol takes the pandemic seriously and has implemented strict protocols, including regular testing, to make sure everyone who's in the studio--the contestants, judges, host and crew--is healthy and able to work.

American Idol recently added an in-person audience but with strict guidelines as well. The limited number of fans allowed into the audience obviously have to test negative for coronavirus. The seating is set up in groups of three people who live together or are otherwise in each other's COVID bubble, which means no one is sitting next to a stranger. With all of these rules in place, hopefully no one else associated with the reality competition series tests positive and they can finish out the rest of season 19 with as little disruption as possible.

American Idol airs Sundays at 8pm on ABC.

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Source: The Tonight Show/YouTube