Entertainment Biz Decides To Ease Up on COVID Rules on Set

Associations of the entertainment industry and major studios have agreed to relax some of the COVID-19 safety requirements introduced for the first time in 2020, as reported in the The Hollywood Reporter. In parts of the United States and Canada deemed to have “low hospitalization rates,” demand for masks and testing will be “relaxed.” (If you have an hour to kill and want to read originals about different production areas and instructions for placing bead bowls at craft services, go here.)

CHEAP note that the “low hospitalization rate” threshold is not specified in the notice. Pre-employment checks for the cast and crew are still required, but the types of checks are being revised. (This could mean that now it’s okay to be inexpensive at home, instead of more rigorous PCR tests.) Additionally, “there won’t be a need for masks in ‘most’ settings, except for vehicles. shuttle”, according to CHEAP.

Employers can still require any crew member in “Zone A” to have up-to-date vaccines and boosters. Zone A is defined as “any perimeter in which activity occurs without physical separation or the use of PPE. [personal protective equipment]“And that often includes direct interaction with the actor in front of the camera.

The new changes will be in place until July 15. Possibly July 16 will mean film professionals can return to work without a Q-tip making waves. (Unless a new variant emerges or the public health situation changes, this is unlikely to surprise anyone at this point.)

During the pandemic, many Hollywood productions have been closed due to the new coronavirus. Most notably, the film is now called Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part Onewas halted in Italy and resulted in Tom Cruise yelled at the film crew in London when protocols were breached in late 2020. Most recently this January, filming on Star Trek: Picard was suspended when more than 50 people tested positive. (In November of last year, Diversity reported that COVID protocols add five percent to film and television production budgets.)

And now, since the last days may be upon us, here are some pictures of celebrities receiving a good gauze during the procedure at the office.