Citi Health can help to protect cast and crews on Film and TV Productions against Flu, Covid-19 and other preventable illnesses this winter
It’s heartening to know that Britain remains a top place to shoot blockbuster films and high-end television: half of last year’s top 20 movie releases were made at least partly in Britain from Barbie and Wonka to Indiana Jones And The Dial of Destiny and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning.
Over £4.2bn was spent on film and high-end TV production in the UK last year and investment in the industry continues: in September Sky opened its new studio space in Elstree while Warner Bros is expanding its studios in Leavesden, and Shepperton Studios in Surrey is hugely expanded to meet burgeoning demand from Hollywood. Meanwhile this year’s spring budget included tax relief for Film and TV productions in the UK as well as relief on business rates, proving that our creative industries are hugely valued: ‘We will remain the production house of the world,’ observed Sir Peter Bazalgette.
This said, overall budgets are being squeezed as production costs soar and companies filming this year in the UK must make sure they are well prepared, with everything planned minutely to the last detail. Shoots must keep to schedule and ensure continuity, despite all the factors out of a production’s control, but there are some risks which can be avoided entirely, including preventable illness on set.
Although life is basically back to normal in the UK post-pandemic, Covid-19 remains in the population; new strains are being identified with regularity and their effects are unpredictable – some individuals are almost completely unaffected while others can feel seriously unwell for weeks.
The British Film Commission’s document 'Working Safely During COVID-19 in Film and High-end TV Drama Production' provides advice on sensible precautions productions can take to manage risk and support their cast and crew. The document states that productions still have a legal duty to manage risks to those affected by their business and to mitigate risks where they are identified. This advice includes the possibility that an entire production may be halted for group testing if a person who has wide contact with cast and crew tests positive for COVID-19 - but all this stress can all be avoided by vaccinating individuals against Covid-19 before production begins.
Similarly, every winter a new Flu strain runs through the population making some people extremely unwell for weeks: according to recent research by RAND and The University of Cambridge seasonal influenza is associated with approximately £4.8 million lost working days in the UK, resulting in a £644m annual loss to the UK economy, equivalent to approximately £272 per infected worker; while increasing workers’ vaccination rates by ten percentage points per sector could increase the UK’s economic output by £258m per year (or £83 per additional vaccination).
When it comes to Film and TV shoots, losing time means losing money so it’s worth insuring against illness if you get the chance. Citi Health specialises in delivering health vaccinations to the cast and crew of productions shooting in London the South East and across the UK: we offer on-site Flu and Covid-19 vaccinations as well as a full range of general vaccines such as BCG, Shingles, HPV, MMR, and pneumonia. In addition we also specialise in delivering Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B vaccines, which protect against contamination from working in water, as well as Tetanus vaccinations where required, to protect against any planned or unplanned contact with animals during production. We come to you - all you have to do is book one of our experienced clinicians to come to you and we will do the rest.
Production shoots for film and TV are always unpredictable, but avoiding potential issues, like workplace absence from preventative illness, gives producers the time and energy to deliver the creative output this country is well known for, keeping Britain’s reputation for making some of the best quality film and TV in the world right on track.
Find out more:
Contact: Gayle Anderson
Tel 0203 633 6301
Mobile 07900 923510
Email gayle@citihealth.co.uk
