The filming for Riverdale’s fourth season has been suspended after a member of the production team came in contact with a Coronavirus patient.
The CW has yet to release a statement whether or not the person in question is part of the cast or the production crew. A Warner Bros. TV spokesperson said that they have been made aware that someone from Riverdale which films in Vancouver, British Columbia was in proximity with a person who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and is currently receiving a strict medical evaluation.
The spokesperson added that they are working with the authorities in Vancouver closely to help identify any other person who was potentially in contact with that specific team member. The spokesperson also said that the health and safety of everyone, both cast and crew is of the utmost paramount, and they will continue to take the necessary precautions to ensure everyone’s safety. Because of this, they decided to suspend filming for the show.
Riverdale is but the latest victim in a list of shows and films that have been directly affected by the Coronavirus. The latest Bond film, No Time to Die’s theatrical release has been delayed from April 10th to November 25th; game shows like Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy have also been affected, and a source close to the game shows says that they will be filming episodes without the normal audience. A lot of television talk shows have also indefinitely suspended taking in-studio audiences for their shows like The View, The Wendy Williams Show, and all the late-night talk shows to prevent the spread of the virus.
The Hollywood Reporter said that Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway which was set to premiere in the U.K. this later this month was moved to August.
Festivals like Coachella, SXSW, Korea Times Music Festival, Emerald City Comic Con, and a lot more have also decided to cancel and reschedule their events given that thousands of people attend them each year.
The concert circuit has also been hit hard, concerts for the likes of BTS, Madonna, Green Day, Avril Lavigne, Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus, and a ton more artists have also been rescheduled.
This is not the first case that a team member of a television show has come in contact with the Coronavirus, a member of the production crew who was working on the upcoming Fox show neXt tested positive while filming the show in Chicago.