Netflix Suspends Production Of Shows And Movies Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Netflix has halted production of its original shows and movies amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Production has been paused in the US and Canada for two weeks due to government restrictions, Netflix confirmed to The Verge.

Netflix

The streaming giant said the break was 'due to government restrictions and health/safety precautions'.

Shows including Stranger Things, The Witcher and Ryan Murphy's movie The Prom are all reportedly affected by the break.

Netflix isn't the only production company to suspend work, Disney released a statement in which it said it was stopping for a 'short-time'.

The statement explained: "While there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on our productions, after considering the current environment and the best interests of our cast and crew, we have made the decision to pause production on some of our live-action films for a short time."

The statement added that it will 'continue to assess the situation and restart as soon as feasible'.

Warner Bros has also announced it was suspending production on more than 70 of its shows.

Earlier today, US President Donald Trump declared the outbreak a 'national emergency'.

The declaration means that the US government can access up to $50bn (£40bn) in emergency relief funds.

Trump told the US the 'next eight weeks are critical'.

The US Covid-19 death toll has hit 40, with 1,700 confirmed cases, the BBC reports.

As part of the emergency response, up to 500,000 coronavirus testing kits will be made available next week, although health officials have recommended not testing people 'without clear need'.

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that a a relief package had been agreed upon to help those who are affected by the impact - this includes two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family medical leave as well as free tests for people without insurance.

It's okay to not panic. LADbible and UNILAD's aim with our campaign, Cutting Through, is to provide our community with facts and stories from the people who are either qualified to comment or have experienced first-hand the situation we're facing. For more information from the World Health Organisation on Coronavirus, click here.

Topics: TV and Film

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19