Erica Fernandes does not want to return as shoots resume: ‘I am not up for it, not now at least’

Television actor Erica Fernandes does not want to start shooting anytime soon, as she feels that she will be at high risk of contracting the coronavirus.

The television industry is breathing a sigh of relief after the Maharashtra government allowed shoots to resume, as long as a list of guidelines stressing social distancing and hygiene were followed. However, television actor Erica Fernandes is not keen on returning to a set anytime soon.

Erica Fernandes plays Prerna in the popular serial Kasautii Zindagii Kay.

In an interview with Pinkvilla, Erica said, “It’s not a simple question of yes or no. There is a lot to it. People have been out of work for a very long time. Some do not have the luxury of making a choice if they should get back to work or not. But, if you personally ask me, I am not up for it, not now at least, maybe a little later yes, and this is due to multiple reasons.”

Erica reasoned that with the restrictions of the lockdown easing, there are ‘high chances of a spike in the graph’. She added, “Secondly, because we are entering the monsoon season where so many of us generally fall ill due to the change in weather. The symptoms of normal flu or dengue, malaria (which are common during the monsoons) are very similar to the virus. This will create chaos and panic.”

While crew members must wear masks and gloves on the set, actors in the scene cannot do so. This puts them at a ‘higher risk’ than anyone else, Erica feels. “Next, there are studios that have multiple shows shooting in the same vicinity at the same time accounting for a huge number of people working together,” she said.

Before the lockdown, Erica was seen as Prerna in the reboot of the popular show Kasautii Zindagii Kay. The show also stars Parth Samthaan, Karan Singh Grover and Aamna Sharif.

Erica, who is isolating with her family, told Hindustan Times in an earlier interview that the lockdown has been ‘tough’ for a workaholic like her. Talking about what she has been doing to keep herself busy, she said, “I’m trying to utilise this time at home in a productive manner. So from cooking to drawing and painting, reading books and learning new things, all this keeps me occupied. I’ve also been creating a lot of personalised content for my digital space on awareness about how to deal with the situation at hand.”

Follow @htshowbiz for more