With COVID-19 cases surging in the U.S. due to the Delta variant, Netflix is implementing mandatory vaccinations across all of its American productions. It is the first major Hollywood studio to do so.
Deadline reports that the vaccinations will be required for all actors and any production team members in close proximity. This is following the return-to-work protocols agreed upon by unions and studios last week.
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But while the vaccinations are mandatory, Netflix will reportedly be making a handful of exceptions for medical, religious, and age reasons.
The mandatory vaccines follow the COVID-19 spike that began in early July. Los Angeles County recently reported 2,060 new cases and four deaths. The surge is being blamed on the Delta variant, which is substantially more infectious than the original strain. New data released by Pfizer suggests that a third shot will “strongly” boost protection against the Delta variant.
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In the meantime, shows throughout Hollywood are being disrupted by the surge. Bridgerton, Westworld, American Horror Story, and Woke have all had to pause production at one point or another due to a COVID scare.
Here at IGN, we’ve assembled some ways that you can help amid the ongoing pandemic. You can find more information here.
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Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN.
