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Counting On’s Jed Duggar and Wife Katey Nakatsu Spark Controversy With COVID-19 Joke in Pregnancy Announcement

Jed Duggar Wife Katey Face Backlash COVID Joke Pregnancy Reveal
Jed Duggar and Katey Duggar. Courtesy of Jed Duggar/Instagram

Baby on the way! Jedidiah Duggar and his wife, Katey Nakatsu, made waves with their pregnancy announcement.

Related: Celebrity Pregnancy Announcements of 2021: See Which Stars Are Expecting

“She tested positive, but not for Covid. 😉,” the 19 Kids and Counting alum, 22, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, September 5. The reality star and his pregnant wife, 23, held a homemade sign that read, “And then there were 3. Baby Duggar Spring ’22.”

Jed Duggar Wife Katey Face Backlash COVID Joke Pregnancy Reveal
Jed Duggar and Katey Duggar. Courtesy of Jed Duggar/Instagram

The couple, who tied the knot in April, also shared a video on their YouTube channel talking about their road to parenthood. Nakatsu revealed that she learned she got pregnant “almost instantaneous[ly]” after taking a test at a local Walmart on Wednesday, September 1.

“Woo hoo, yeah!” Duggar said in the clip while driving away from the store. The pair then did a photo shoot — which is when they took the announcement pictures — and showed outtakes from the day.

Related: Duggar Family Pics: Couples, Babies and More!

One of the photos that didn’t make it to Instagram had the soon-to-be parents holding the same sign, this time reading, “She tested positive, but not for Covid. Baby Duggar Spring ’22.” The playful mentions of the coronavirus pandemic caused some social media followers to fire back.

Katie Joy called out the twosome on her own Instagram page for being “so insensitive” amid the current COVID-19 surge in the pair’s native Arkansas. The Without a Crystal Ball YouTube host, 42, shared a screenshot of the expectant parents’ COVID-related sign, pointing out, “Arkansas is facing some of the worst with Covid right now due to low vaccination rates. 656,000 Americans have died from Covid since the virus hit 18 months ago.”

She claimed that the young couple’s choice not to post the second photo on Instagram was “intentional.” Many of Joy’s followers agreed, with one commenting, “Having 2 family members pass from COVID, I find this very tasteless and insensitive.”

A second user wrote, “I hate this. It’s so tacky and distasteful. People are dying,” while a nurse added, “Not so funny!!” Another social media fan commented, “How clueless and rude. And I don’t care who uses that ‘joke’ as an announcement, Duggar or not.”

While some people slammed the duo for the wording in their post, others were quick to congratulate them on the happy news.

Related: The Duggars: A Comprehensive Guide to the Famous Family

“So happy for y’all,” fellow reality star Katie Bates commented on Duggar’s announcement. The Counting On alum’s brother Jason Duggar added, “Congrats you two! Loved the announcement! ⚾️,” referring to Jed’s baseball game reveal to his parents and siblings earlier in the month.

Joseph and Kendra Duggar also sent their well-wishes, writing, “Congratulations!!! So happy for you all.”

In addition to sharing the news on social media, the newlyweds showed footage via YouTube of how they told the Duggar family about their latest addition. “Praise the Lord, they all know,” Nakatsu said in the clip on Sunday, two days after the Duggars learned of the pregnancy at an Arkansas Naturals’ baseball game during a big screen message. “It’s all so surreal. I’m super excited,” Jed added.

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