‘Chicago Med’ Production Halted Over Positive COVID-19 Test
“Chicago Med” has become the latest series to be forced to suspend production due to a positive COVID-19 test.
Sources have confirmed that a crew member returned a positive test, and production was halted this morning. The show will now pause production for two whole weeks as a precaution.
The positive result was yielded through a rapid test and the individual who tested positive was immediately sent home, according to a source with knowledge of the production. Contact tracing, as well as other COVID guidelines, have been carried out since the test came back. The person who tested positive was in a role which meant they were in close proximity to other cast and crew members, hence the decision to suspend production.
“Chicago Med” is entering its sixth season, and NBC currently has it slated to premiere Nov. 11 in the 8 p.m. time slot, right before its fellow “Chicago” dramas “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago P.D.” This production pause should not delay the show’s delivery to the network, according to sources.
News of the shutdown comes only two weeks after ABC legal drama “For Life” was also forced to stop shooting as a result of conflicting coronavirus test results on set. In that particular case, multiple people involved with the production first tested positive for COVID-19, then received negative results upon subsequent testing. Production is still not underway in the Nicholas Pinnock-led series, as it too shut up shop for 14 days.
Back in June, CBS soap “The Bold and the Beautiful” halted production due to “several false positive” results. The show had to upgrade its COVID-19 testing capacities to accommodate “the large volume of testing needed.”
Deadline first reported the “Chicago Med” news.
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