Film and television production in California will soon be able to send their people back to work, a few months after the coronavirus pandemic closed operations across the country and internationally.
New guidelines from the California Department of Public Health state that TV, film and music production in the state can resume on June 12, “subject to the approval of district public health officials in the area of operation.”
The long-awaited green light comes on Friday in an update that also provides the latest guidance for schools, day camps and professional sports.
“To reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19, production, cast, crew, and other industrial workers must adhere to safety protocols approved by labor and management, which can be further enhanced by district public health officials,” the state’s guidelines read. “Staff and back office management must comply with Office Workspace guidelines published by the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Industrial Relations, to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19.”
These guidelines are general recommendations for office workspaces but do not contain production-specific information.
CNN has contacted SAG-AFTRA, a union representing around 160,000 actors and players, to provide comments.
This week, trade unions and the entertainment industry trade union handed over to public health workers in New York and California a 22-page document designed to create safety protocols for producing films and TVs in the coronavirus era.
The steps depend heavily on extensive testing, checking temperature, cleaning steps and physical distance where possible.
