An episode of SpongeBob SquarePants with a plot too similar to the ongoing global pandemic will no longer air. Speaking to IGN, Nickelodeon confirmed that the Season 12 episode, titled "Kwarantined Krab," has been pulled due to its virus storyline.
In the episode, the Health Inspector returns to the Krusty Krab and discovers a case of the "Clam Flu." All of the patrons inside are immediately quarantined. Distrust begins to grow among the group and anyone assumed to have the virus is shunned and isolated in the freezer.
In a statement, a Nickelodeon representative stated, “The ‘Kwarantined Crab’ [sic] centers on a virus storyline, so we have decided to not air it due to sensitivities surrounding the global, real-world pandemic."
The episode will not air during Season 12, which is still ongoing and is not included on the recently released Complete Twelfth Season DVD set. It's unclear if the episode will ever officially be released but apparently, you can find it on the internet if you look hard enough.
"Kwarantined Krab" isn't the only SpongeBob episode that Nickelodeon has removed. Last week, it was reported that the Season 3 episode, "Mid-Life Crustacean," was also pulled from rotation (since 2018, apparently) after Nickelodeon determined some of the story elements were "not kid-appropriate."