Fox Host Roberts Says COVID Vaccine Boosters Triggered Pericarditis

Fox News anchor John Roberts has disclosed new details about a serious heart condition that he says developed after receiving a COVID-19 booster and returned following an additional dose.

The “America Reports” co-anchor described the experience during a recent on-air interview, explaining that the inflammation initially subsided before unexpectedly returning.

“I remember when I got the boosters, I developed pericarditis, and then that went away,” Roberts said.

“Then, when I had the second booster, it came roaring back again,” he continued.

“So, you know, the body reacts differently to these things depending on who you are,” Roberts added.

Condition Appeared After Third Dose

Roberts said he received four COVID-19 vaccine doses in total.

According to his account, the first episode of pericarditis occurred after his third dose, commonly referred to as the first booster. The condition eventually disappeared but returned after his fourth shot.

Pericarditis is inflammation of the thin sac surrounding the heart. It can cause sharp chest pain and other symptoms that may resemble those associated with different cardiac conditions.

Roberts did not claim that every heart problem he has experienced was caused by vaccination. He has a complicated cardiovascular history predating his latest disclosure.

However, he specifically connected the timing of his pericarditis—with its initial onset and subsequent recurrence—to the two booster doses.

Roberts Has a History of Heart Problems

In early 2022, Roberts underwent a cardiac procedure during which doctors implanted a pacemaker.

The procedure followed additional heart problems, including complications involving a previously implanted stent. Roberts later joked that he had become “battery powered” and acknowledged that he had not felt well before receiving treatment.

The longtime journalist has also battled atrial fibrillation, commonly known as AFib. The condition causes an irregular and sometimes rapid heartbeat.

In a 2024 social media post, Roberts said he was receiving treatment at the Cleveland Clinic for “the intractable AFib that has plagued me since that whole ‘COVID thing.’”

He subsequently underwent an ablation procedure and later reported that the treatment had produced encouraging results.

“One year ago today, I underwent ablation for the intractable AFib that has plagued me since that whole ‘COVID thing,’” Roberts wrote in a later update.

“Happy to report not a single episode since,” he added.

Roberts Previously Encouraged Vaccination

The disclosure represents a significant development in Roberts’ public discussion of the COVID vaccines.

Earlier in the pandemic, he openly stated that he had been vaccinated and participated in a public service announcement encouraging others to receive the shots.

In 2021, Roberts faced criticism after questioning the vaccines’ long-term effectiveness following the death of former Secretary of State Colin Powell. He responded by rejecting suggestions that he opposed vaccination and said that he intended to receive a booster.

Roberts has also discussed experiencing symptoms associated with long COVID. He cited those health concerns when explaining why he chose to receive another vaccine dose.

His experience therefore does not come from someone who entered the debate as a prominent vaccine opponent. He followed public-health recommendations, promoted vaccination and received four doses before publicly describing what he believes happened afterward.

Timing Does Not Prove Every Cause

Roberts’ account alone cannot establish that vaccination caused all of his cardiovascular problems, particularly given his preexisting history of heart disease.

AFib, complications involving a stent, the need for a pacemaker and pericarditis are distinct medical issues that should not be automatically treated as having the same cause.

Still, Roberts was clear about the sequence he experienced: Pericarditis appeared after one booster, subsided and then returned after the next.

That pattern deserves to be discussed openly rather than dismissed merely because it complicates the preferred public-health narrative of the pandemic era.

Individual responses to medical treatments can vary, and acknowledging adverse experiences does not establish that every recipient faces the same risk. It does reinforce the importance of informed consent, transparent safety information and medical decisions tailored to each patient’s health history.

For Roberts, the central lesson was straightforward.

“The body reacts differently to these things,” he said, “depending on who you are.”