FWICE issues new guidelines for shoot amidst COVID-19 spike

In the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, India is witnessing a massive spike in cases. It is said that the infections in India’s second wave is the world’s fastest-growing as Asia’s third-largest economy compared to the other countries. From common people to celebs, every single day, numbers of cases are reported. Also, artists and crew members are contracting the virus mostly on the sets and shoots of many shows are even halted. In fact, the release dates of several movies are pushed.

This is really alarming and amidst the rise in Covid cases, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has issued new shooting guidelines that include safety precautions and avoiding filming of crowd sequences.

As per a report in PTI, as per a statement from the FWICE, the office-bearers had a meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and assured him that the industry will be “responsible” in following the SOPs (Standard Operating Procedure).

The statement read: “FWICE in coordination with experts has laid down guidelines which all people involved in pre-production, shooting and post-production work will have to adhere to. These guidelines as of now will be applicable till 30 April”. It also stated that shooting of crowd sequences and songs with dancers in large numbers will not be allowed.

The wearing of masks and sanitisation are mandatory on the sets, in production offices, and also in post-production studios.

For the unversed, Maharashtra is currently under a strict weekend lockdown from 8 pm on Friday till 7 am on Monday. Also, Section 144 has also been imposed that prohibits the gathering of five or more people. Also, there are reports that the government might opt for a complete lockdown in the state if it gets worse than the current situation.

Stay tuned for more such updates.

Also Read: FWICE lifts ban on Gauahar Khan; says, ‘Please learn to value life and don’t endanger others’