An employee at Hulu’s offices in Santa Monica has tested positive for coronavirus.
According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, the employee in question immediately began self-isolation once they started experiencing symptoms. The individual is said to be recovering at home. Anyone else in the office who came into contact with the person has been informed, with those employees now required to also self-isolate and begin working from home immediately.
The floors that those Hulu offices take up in that office building are now closed and undergoing a deep cleaning. Other Hulu offices in the area are not technically closed, but staffers will still be asked to work from home going forward. Most employees began working from home last week.
The news comes as most of Hollywood and major parts of the U.S. continue to grapple with the fallout from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Studios, networks, talent agencies, and other entertainment businesses have all begun closing down offices and asking or requiring employees to work from home to help contain the spread of the virus.
The entertainment industry alone is estimated to lose billions of dollars as a result of the new restrictions, with New York City and Los Angeles recently announcing that all movie theaters will be closed to stem transmission to new people. The closures, coupled with people already avoiding public places in response to the pandemic, led to record lows at the weekend box office. Bars, nightclubs, and other entertainment venues will also be closed.
Most major TV and film productions are also temporarily shutting down. Variety is maintaining a running list of productions that have been impacted by the outbreak, which can be read here.
