Hollywood COVID Protocols Prolonged as Studios and Unions Negotiate

The leisure trade’s COVID protocols will keep in place for now, because the unions introduced an extension on Friday night time.

The protocols, which have been in place for 2 years, have been set to run out on Friday night time. The trade unions — together with SAG-AFTRA, IATSE and the Administrators Guild of America — have been negotiating an replace to the foundations with the Alliance of Movement Image and Tv Producers.

“The present Settlement, which was beforehand scheduled to run out right this moment, Sept. 30, will stay in place till a brand new Settlement is reached,” the unions stated in a joint assertion.

The newest main change to the foundations got here in Could, when the 2 sides agreed to loosen up testing necessities and permit staff to go with out masks. Since then, COVID case numbers have seen a modest improve after which a modest decline in Los Angeles County.

In current weeks, L.A. County well being officers have eased up on masks necessities in different settings, like jails and homeless amenities. Earlier in the summertime, the county thought of implementing an indoor masks mandate, however backed off as an infection numbers stabilized.

In Hollywood, crews proceed to abide by guidelines that divide manufacturing areas into 4 completely different zones, with completely different guidelines for every. Employers are additionally allowed to impose vaccine mandates in Zone A, which incorporates everybody bodily current on set, or those that are available in contact with actors.

The principles additionally cowl issues like bodily distancing and testing frequency. The COVID protocols have added significantly to manufacturing prices, with one examine discovering a rise of 5% to six.5% for giant finances initiatives. Further bills embody COVID security officers, testing supplies and quarantine stipends.