California Lifts Indoor Mask Mandate—What Does That Mean for Hollywood?

The California mandate requiring masks in public indoor settings expired for vaccinated residents on Feb. 16. What this will mean for film and television production hinges on several major factors. Los Angeles County continues to have a mask mandate, but as COVID-19 cases fluctuate, the end to that county-specific directive might be on the horizon. Masks will still be required on film and TV sets through April 30. Additionally, a few major events—most specifically, the 94th Academy Awards on March 27—prove that there are exceptions to the rule. 

Los Angeles health officials say the county could lift its indoor mask mandate as soon as mid-March if cases continue to fall. The L.A. Department of Public Health noted it will consider dropping the mask mandate when the daily number of new cases in the county falls below 730 for seven consecutive days. As of Feb. 15, there were 2,133 new cases.   

Either way, film and television production nationwide will continue to require masking for the time being. The return-to-work agreement (between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, the Teamsters, and Basic Crafts) dictates masking on set, with the exception of actors who are performing. That agreement was just extended until April 30. 

The new protocols mandate that productions provide KN95, KF94, or N95 masks to everyone working on set. Producers also now have the option to make vaccinations mandatory; the updated agreement states that a full vaccination needs to include a booster. On top of that, anyone who contracts COVID-19 is entitled to 10 paid sick days. That number reset in 2022, so an actor or crew member who took COVID-19 time off last year has 10 new days in the bank.  

The biggest wrinkle in all of this is the Oscars. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced it will not require attendees to be vaccinated at this year’s Academy Awards. Instead, attendees will only need to provide a negative PCR test or a negative rapid antigen test. Precedent also suggests that guests will not need to be masked. The 73rd Emmy Awards ceremony, which was held on Sep. 19, 2021, had no mask mandate, as it fell under an exception carved out for film and television production. 

The L.A. Department of Public Health told the Los Angeles Times that “L.A. County’s Health Officer order requires everyone to wear a mask indoors, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated. However, exceptions are made for film, television, and music productions, as additional safety modifications are made for these controlled interactions.”

Granted, the Department of Public Health was able to assure the public that the Emmy ceremony was relatively safe, since everyone in that audience was vaccinated. 

That will not be the case for the Oscars. In a statement to Deadline, the Department of Public Health said that it “will work with the Oscars on their COVID protocols in line with what is required for television productions.” 

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Oscars’ safety protocols stem from the fact that certain presenters and nominees are unvaccinated, “including at least one of last year’s acting winners and prominent members of the casts of multiple best picture nominees, as well as nominees in other categories.” Academy employees must be vaccinated. 

In contrast, the upcoming SAG Awards ceremony will require a vaccine plus a booster, a negative PCR test 48 hours before the event, and a negative rapid test the day of the event. Attendees also must wear KN95 or KF94 masks during commercial breaks.