Coronation Street and Emmerdale bosses in emergency coronavirus meetings – but they’re confident soaps will stay on air
CORONATION Street and Emmerdale bosses have been in emergency meetings over the coronavirus pandemic but have reassured fans that the soaps will stay on air.
ITV bosses have held talks about how to cope with the pandemic that has now claimed eight British lives.
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In a statement to the Sun Online, a representative for both soaps said: "Our priority is the well being and safety of all our colleagues and everyone who works with us on our shows and across our production.
"Clearly, along with everyone across the country, we are in a developing and dynamic situation with respect to the coronavirus, so we’re taking the appropriate steps.
"We’ve looked at our procedures and our established contingency plans and we’re confident that we’re able to continue with our filming schedule."
Bosses also said the health and wellbeing of cast and crew is paramount.
The statement added: "In terms of our colleagues, our aim is to do everything we can to support anyone affected. We’re keeping a close eye on the situation and putting our people first."
Yesterday the deadly coronavirus outbreak was officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation - as the number of UK cases more than doubled in just four days.
There are now more than 121,000 cases of Covid-19 in 114 countries around the world and 4,373 people have died.
In the UK, 460 people have tested positive for the deadly bug and six people have died.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the number of cases outside China had increased 13-fold over the past two weeks.
He said he was "deeply concerned" by "alarming levels of inaction" over the virus.
He added: "We have therefore made the assessment that Covid 19 can be characterised as a pandemic."
The WHO defines a pandemic as the worldwide spread of a new disease.
Dr Tedros added: "Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly.
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"It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death.
"Describing the situation as a pandemic does not change WHO's assessment of the threat posed by this coronavirus.
"It doesn't change what WHO is doing, and it doesn't change what countries should do."
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