is vmware safe from viruses?

Vmware Fusion itself is safe if you get it from the Vmware Fusion site. You likely will be installing Windows using Vmware Fusion so you will have to protect Windows from virus'.

It all depends on what you are doing on Windows installed in a virtual machine program. If you never go to the net, even though the VM is connected to your network, if you never open emails from people and places you don't know and don't click on links in those emails or go to bad websites while in Windows Windows won't get infected by a virus or malware of any type.

Just because a Windows computer is connected to the internet doesn't mean if can or will get infected with anything. For any of these type of program to get installed on a Windows computer take some type of User Actions. They don't just come streaming down the internet wire to your Windows computer.

No it can't. Different operating system.