Earlier today, SAG-AFTRA and the Joint Policy Committee (the "JPC") issued a statement recommending a temporary pause on in-person production of commercials in Southern California due to the "capacity crisis facing Southern California hospitals due to the COVID pandemic and an anticipated post-holiday surge of COVID cases." The Producer's Guild of America has issued its own statement that encourages "everyone currently shooting in Southern CA to delay production until the county health officials indicate it's safe to resume. "

As a result, advertisers, agencies and production companies are encouraged to reschedule productions to a later date. The statement also recommends that, for the next several weeks, SAG-AFTRA members not accept on-set employment and that they reach out to the union if they are required to work during this period and have concerns about their safety on set.

How long will this recommendation remain in place? Hard to say. According to SAG-AFTRA's National Executive Director David White, “It is too hard to say right now when the situation may improve, but we are monitoring closely and will make sure that our members have the information they need to make the best decisions they can to protect themselves and our community.”