Movie and TV productions in California may be furthered delayed due to new tiered coronavirus testing. Earlier this year, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic, causing civilizations around the world to take extra precautions against the aggressive virus. Amid COVID-19 concerns, theme parks, movie theaters, and restaurants closed down, and film and television productions came to an equally abrupt halt worldwide.
In an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus, blockbuster titles, such as The Matrix 4, The Batman, and Jurassic World 3, were forced to halt shooting, sending stars and crew home indefinitely. After Hollywood went dark, popular TV series delayed season finales until further notice. As of late, U.S. states are gradually lifting lockdown orders, leaving Hollywood studios to workshop how to reopen the entertainment industry. Last month, guidelines to resume movie and TV productions amid the pandemic were formulated by an entertainment industry task force, and California Governor Gavin Newsom gave the green light for Hollywood to continue business. However, it appears Hollywood faces further delays in getting back into action.
Per SlashFilm, California will implement new coronavirus testing guidelines that will divide patients into tiers to prioritize testing. Recently, California has witnessed a surge in coronavirus cases, leading to slow test turnaround times and a lack of available testing. Formulated by public health officials, the four tiers for testing will prioritize patients as follows: Tier 1 includes hospitalized individuals with COVID-19 symptoms and those in close contact with confirmed cases. Tier 2 includes other individuals with coronavirus symptoms who work where outbreaks have been rampant. Tier 3 involves employees in the essential sectors, such as retail, manufacturing, food services, or education. Finally, there’s Tier 4, which would be implemented when the state’s testing turnaround time is less than 48 hours and includes individuals with no symptoms.
As it stands, movie and TV productions could be placed in Tier 3, which is a lower priority. Under the guidelines implemented by California that allow productions to restart, cast and crew are required to be tested for COVID-19 on the first day of filming. With California residents experiencing delayed test results and lack of testing, it remains to be seen where cast and crew for movie and TV productions will fall in the tiered testing structure.
Despite glimmers of hope that the entertainment industry could safely reopen, it’s unclear what lasting impacts the coronavirus pandemic has created. Currently, movie release dates continue to be shuffled around the calendar, TV series are configuring how to patch up storylines, and the 2021 Oscars may be delayed. Hopefully, Californa’s tiered coronavirus testing system will be an efficient method that will allow actors and crew to return to work in Hollywood safely.
Source: Via SlashFilm