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Netflix is making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory on its U.S. productions – at least in Zone A, the part of the filming with the actors.
The move makes the streamer the first major studio to institute a general vaccination policy. A source says Netflix is closely following the recently updated return-to-work protocols agreed to by guilds and studios, which indicate the industry can mandate Zone A vaccinations on a project-by-project basis.
The new standards have been accepted by the Alliance of Film and Television Producers and top industry guilds including SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, DGA and the Teamsters. They also came to a consensus that they could relax current protocols for fully vaccinated actors and team.
In accordance with the recommendations of the return to work directives, exemptions for medical, religious or age reasons may apply on Netflix stations. Additionally, an insider said that the streamer’s shows and films already in production may continue even if some members of the production are not vaccinated, although these exceptions are expected to be rare.
Netflix’s decision to impose the vaccine comes as the delta variant, a more contagious strain of the virus, continues to spread. The rise in the number of cases has prompted new indoor mask warrants. It has also led at least one prominent actor to demand stricter measures on set, as Sean Penn demanded last week that the cast and crew of his TV series Gas lit get vaccinated before returning to work.
In recent days, some local and national officials have demanded that their government workers be vaccinated, and President Joe Biden is expected to announce a federal government-wide mandate as early as Thursday.
Netflix News also follows a recommendation from the Writers Guild of America that those who frequent writers’ rooms in person should be fully immunized. They also noted that writers should be allowed to work remotely even if their room is operating on site.
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