ITV wants its workers exempt from isolating
July 28, 2021
ITV has called on the UK government to exempt some television workers from self-isolation.
Carolyn McCall, chief executive, said ITV had been talking to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport about an exemption for “certain aspects” of television on the grounds that broadcasters have a public service remit, including to provide news coverage.
While social-distancing rules had been relaxed in the UK, McCall said “whole sectors of people” can still be required to self-isolate. Companies have been plagued with labour problems as employees who have been in contact with someone with coronavirus are pinged by NHS Test and Trace and told to quarantine for 10 days.
McCall said: “I would be lying if I said it was not a difficult situation from a production point of view. It is a worry, but so far we’re managing it.”
DCMS was “considering” the company’s call to change the rules for television, but there was unlikely to be a decision before mid-August, she told reporters.