Hollywood’s Covid Protocols To Remain In Place As Negotiations Continue

deadline.com:

Hollywood’s Covid-19 protocols, which were set to expire Friday, will remain in place while negotiations continue between the AMPTP and DGA, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, the Teamsters and the Basic Crafts.

In a joint statement, the unions announced “a continuation of negotiations of the Return-to-Work agreement while discussions continue with the AMPTP,” and that the current rules “will remain in place until a new Agreement is reached.” First adopted on September 21, 2020, the protocols had originally been set to expire on April 30, 2021, but were extended with no major modifications and contained all of the original agreement’s provisions.

Those include strictly enforced testing regimens, physical distancing, Covid compliance officers, diligent use of personal protective equipment and a “Zone” system to ensure that different sections of productions are tightly controlled based on proximity to cast, who often can’t wear masks or maintain social distancing while working.

They were extended again on June 30, 2021, and were amended three weeks later to give producers “the option to implement mandatory vaccination policies for casts and crew in Zone A on a production-by-production basis.” Zone A, where unmasked actors work, is the most restrictive of the safe work zones on sets.