CINTAA asks producers to share SOPs to safeguard artistes against Covid

The Cine and Television Actors Association CINTAA is worried about the number of member artistes succumbing to death owing to Covid while shooting outside MaharashtraThe association has demanded all health and safety protocols be strictly followed on set and a copy of their Standard Operative Procedures SOP be shared by their members in order to examine any negligence that could have a severe impact on a unitSOPs have to be designed keeping in mind the new strain of the virus which might show negative in the first RTPCR and would mean isolating the cast and crew before and after the shootThe association is also worried about the fact that since actors travel regularly they face a greater risk of infectionIt is wonderful that TV shoots are shooting in a bubble with necessary precautions but we are worried that a secure bio bubble of the IPL has been breached it will not take long for this disaster to strike TV shoots There is a traffic of actors travelling to and from shoots using flights and airports and the danger of infection is tenfold stated a CINTAA spokesperson urging producers to follow the 30day model of payment till the pandemic is onWith medical costs skyrocketing it is only prudent that expenses are completely covered with no burden to our members the spokesperson addedActors who have refused to shoot due to the pandemic are being replaced overnight and CINTAA has insisted that they should be compensated Also it has questioned who would take ownership if an actor gets infectedMost of the producers are saying that cine workers are frontline workers we would like to point out that if any category that actually comes in the shape of frontline workers are the actors who have to perform their scenes without masks Who have to come in close contact with the makeup artists stylists and so on So they are most prone and susceptible to COVID infections said the spokespersonHence we are appealing to all the stake holders that we want to know on whom does the moral responsibility lie If the actor contracts Covid who is going to take care of the entire hospitalmedical expenses the insurance injury cover death cover etc Is the broadcaster taking the onus studio taking the onus or the producer association or individual producer is taking the onus that is what we wish to know questioned CINTAAThey have also stressed the plight of the artistes who have one or two days of work in a show CINTAA has expressed that there is a need to make sure that they are shooting in the vicinity of medical emergencies or have made arrangements on the setThe plight of actors who have one or two days of work is worse than film workers as these actors have nowhere been included in the various charities being offered like Salman Khans charity or Yash Raj vaccination drive in spite this fraternity being at maximum risk at all levels including their unsure livelihood We are glad that the workers are being taken care of by the benevolent But these actors should be included in such initiative beneficiary list added the spokespersonThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever