Dr Paul Litchfield, independent medical adviser to ITV, talks about TV productions getting back to work in a Covid-19 world. He says it isn’t about eliminating risk, but reducing the risk as far as employers and individuals reasonably can.
He explains why broadcast technicians and film and TV operators are classed as low risk and discusses the guidance that had been published the day before, TV Production Guidance: Managing the risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) (18 May, 2020).
Dr Litchfield, who is chair of the What Works Centre for Wellbeing, explains why the effect of lockdown on people’s mental health is about twice that of what you would normally expect from redundancy. And he reveals the group most hard hit by the coronavirus crisis is the under 25s, even though they are at the lowest risk of becoming seriously ill through the virus.
About this video
This is a video of an event that took place on 19 May, 2020, hosted by Gilly Cohen, ScreenSkills Indie Training Fund director of learning and development. It was supported by the ScreenSkills Television Skills Fund which invests in training for the freelance television workforce thanks to contributions from the BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5. It is part of a ScreenSkills programme managed by the Indie Training Fund to support freelancers to upskill and stay connected, helping keep the industry resilient in the coronavirus crisis.
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To learn how to work safely on productions, go to our online coronavirus basic awareness on production course.