Netflix shuts down all TV, movie production amid coronavirus: report
Netflix said the decision 'due to government restrictions and health/safety precautions'
Netflix has temporarily shut down all TV and movie production for two weeks amid novel coronavirus concerns, Entertainment Weekly has reported.
The streaming service has paused production for "Stranger Things" season 4, "Grace & Frankie," "The Prom" and other film and TV shows that were in the development process in the U.S. and Canada when COVID-19 started spreading through the two countries, according to EW.
Netflix told the outlet that it made the decision "due to government restrictions and health/safety precautions."
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Disney and Warner Bros have also canceled the production of a number of shows and movies.
Like other Silicon Valley-based tech giants, all California-based Netflix employees have been told to work from home to avoid the spread of germs.
The streaming service is poised to exceed second-quarter earnings expectations since more users have been told to work from home or self-quarantine for two weeks if they suspect they may have the virus, according to The Motley Fool.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFLX | NETFLIX INC. | 554.60 | -0.44 | -0.08% |
President Trump declared the pandemic a national emergency Friday afternoon, freeing up $50 billion in funding to fight the virus, and threw his support behind a congressional aid package, which passed the House Saturday .
The U.S. has surpassed 1,600 total confirmed COVID-19 cases and has seen more than 40 deaths related to the virus.