How the Latest Big CDC Mask Recommendations Affect Film Crews

The short answer is that film crews won’t be affected very much by the latest CDC mask recommendations, especially if they’re working on union sets.

On May 13^th, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued some updated mask guidelines for those who are fully vaccinated.  By now, most of us have gotten used to the new safety protocols on set.  Mask wearing, social distancing, and an endless flow of hand sanitizer have now become the norm.

The new mask guidelines from the CDC state that the fully vaccinated can now “resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart.”  However, one of the numerous exceptions to this is what the CDC calls ‘workplace guidance,’ and the studios and labor unions have already successfully set safety protocols for our industry.

The industry regulations reflect the safety guidelines set by the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, at least for those who work on film crews in Los Angeles.  The most recent updates to the L.A. County set safety protocols state that employees need no longer wear face shields or goggles, but employees must still wear masks.

As other locations have been following the safety protocols adopted by Hollywood, not much will change on set.  The latest CDC mask recommendations will not change mask wearing for film crews.

Meanwhile, the unions and studios agreed to extend the COVID-19 Return to Work Safety Agreement set to expire on April 30^th through June 30, 2021.  So those set safety protocols remain in place for workers.

I’m not sure anyone who works on set would feel comfortable ditching their masks just yet, especially since no one currently requires proof of vaccination to work.  I think back to all the colds and flu that used to circulate so freely on set, and I think maybe we should have all been wearing masks at work during flu season long before the pandemic.  Especially since people often come to work sick, as there are no paid sick days for any illness other than COVID-19.

When I worked in Japan years ago, anyone with even a sniffle wore a mask in consideration of their fellow workers.  They also stayed clear of any communal food that was offered and wore their masks going to and from work.

Maybe the unions and studios should recommend mask-wearing on set post-pandemic for those with colds or seasonal allergies.  If it prevented illness during this life-threatening pandemic, it could protect us afterward, too.

Hopefully, in the future, we’ll have paid sick days we can use for any illness, not just COVID-19. Then people won’t have to come to work when ill and risk infecting others.

I suspect the Return to Work Safety Agreement will evolve as more people get vaccinated.  But as long as we work with maskless actors, masks will probably continue to be worn on set, at least through the end of 2021.

Much has changed due to the pandemic, and many things won’t be going back to the way they were pre-COVID-19.  I know how uncomfortable it is to wear a mask on set all day.  But now that we’ve gotten used to wearing them, we should use masks as needed in the future, both on and off set.  Even if the CDC says face coverings are no longer required, they may still help keep everyone healthier on set during flu season.

As would having a guaranteed number of paid sick days to use when we're ill, so no one has to come to work sick.