11 Dec COVID-19 – SOME PRODUCTION WORKERS TO BE PARTIALLY EXEMPT FROM REQUIREMENT TO SELF-ISOLATE ON RETURNING FROM ABROAD

Changes made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel)(England) Regulations 2020 now allow certain persons working on TV Productions to be partially exempt from the requirement to self-isolate on returning from abroad.

The Government has extended the list of those crew members considered to be “essential crew” for the purposes of qualifying for the exemption. Whereas previously it had been: an actor, a presenter or other significant on-screen participant, and a director, the list now also includes a producer, a lighting director, a director of photography, a creative director, other key members of the production crew at director level responsible for managing key aspects of the production, or a senior executive responsible for overseeing the production company’s operations in relation to the production.

The extended list sits in Schedule 2 section 40 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) Regulations 2020.

It will be the responsibility of the TV production companies to manage and monitor the usage of this exemption and to ensure that it is used appropriately, logging their use of the exception with the BBC, ITV and Sky on productions with those broadcasters, or with Pact for any others.

This exemption is separate to that for HETV and Film productions, which remains the same. Currently, this update only applies to those travelling to England.

These changes are in addition to the Government’s Test to Release scheme which comes into effect on Tuesday 15th December. This will mean that the number of days individuals are required to self-isolate will reduce from 14 to 5, if they receive a negative COVID test result. Individuals will be required to book and pay for a test from a private provider on the Government list, which is not yet available.

The scheme is voluntary and applies to those self-isolating in England only.

If you are travelling from a destination not on the travel corridors list, do not have a job that qualifies you for a travel exemption and do not want to opt in to test to release, you will need to self-isolate for 14 full days after you were last in a destination not on the travel corridors list.