Shutterstock
ViacomCBS is stepping up to help out during the coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday, April 9, it was announced that the company will be launching a $100 million COVID-19 relief fund that will benefit industry workers who are being impacted by the crisis.
The relief fund is looking to help industry crew members, talent and creative with production halting on a number of shows during the worldwide pandemic.
“One particularly challenging area in this period has been production, as we’ve unfortunately had to pause most of our TV and film productions to protect the health and safety of our cast, crew and communities,” ViacomCBS president and CEO Bob Bakish said in a message to staff, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The emergency fund will be distributed by ViacomCBS to two charities already set up to benefit industry workers; the Motion Picture & Television Fund and The Actors Fund.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B91c5QIHFT-/
The coronavirus mainly comes from animals and a majority of those who were infected early either worked at or frequently visited the Huanan seafood wholesale market in Wuhan, according to The Guardian. The virus is similar to Severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (Mers).
The Wuhan coronavirus is transmitted from person to person through “droplet transmission.” That means an infected person can pass the virus by sneezing or coughing on another person as well as by direct contact.
While a majority of the cases have been detected in the United States and China — with more than 12,900 deaths in the United States which surpasses and nearly triples the death toll of the September 11 terrorist in New York City — it has now reached many countries around the world. It has also been confirmed in Italy, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and many other eastern countries.
