Two-and-a-half years after they were first implemented, Hollywood will sunset its COVID-19 safety protocols on May 12th – the day after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will end the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration on May 11th.
The date was announced by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents studios in labor negotiations.
The phase-out process will vary on some productions. Any productions that require cast and crew working in the immediate filming area to be vaccinated may continue to enforce such mandates if shooting begins prior to the protocol’s end date.
TV series may also continue to enforce mandates through the end of their current season. All employees on productions will also be entitled to five paid sick leave days through the end of 2023 should they test positive for the virus.
First introduced in September 2020 after months of discussions, the Return to Work Agreement outlined the process by which film and TV productions were able to resume shooting while adhering to COVID safety requirements.
Since the pandemic began, the Hollywood guilds have met with AMPTP every 2-3 months to revise the protocols as COVID-19 cases nationwide surged or receded.
Source: The Wrap
