Six staff members test coronavirus positive, ET Now and Mirror Now operations shift to another location, says Times Network

The Times Network, which runs the Times Now, Mirror Now and ET Now news channels, has confirmed that six of its employees have been tested positive for the coronavirus.

In a statement issued to BestMediaInfo.com, the broadcaster said, "Despite practising all safety measures and precautions while fulfilling their duties, four of our colleagues at Mirror Now and two support staff members have tested coronavirus positive. Following BMC guidance, they have been shifted to the mandatory quarantine facility at a private hospital in Mumbai and are doing fine."

The broadcaster said the rest of its staff tested negative.

"The rest of our team members have all tested negative and continue to be lodged with us safely. As per standard protocol, BMC has conducted anti-virus sanitisation at our Lower Parel premises, and it will be ready for resuming operations by mid next week," the statement said.

Times Network has moved the operation of both Mirror Now and ET Now to an alternative facility.

"To ensure non-stop news to our viewers, the operations of Mirror Now and ET Now have been shifted to an alternative location in Mumbai, which was kept ready for an emergency scenario. This is being managed by a fresh standby team," the statement said.

The broadcaster said the staff required to run operations that can't be run from home is being kept at the company premises at different locations to minimise their contact with the external environment. The company said even the staff members who tested positive were staying on company premises.

"To minimise external contact, our News HQ and tech teams were accommodated in captive locations within our premises and other boarding locations in Mumbai and Delhi, with dedicated sanitised transportation to ensure they did not have to travel from home daily and risk their families and colleagues," the statement said.

"In spite of this mishap, we will continue with the strategy of housing our teams in captive locations as we believe this is the safest option to ensure they don’t get infected from multiple external environments and pass on the risk of infection to their families and into the community," it added.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com