How Sunrise is fighting to stay on air: Masked security prowl the set and staff sanitise their hands amid COVID-19 pandemic – as Today Extra hosts observe social distancing on camera
Channel Seven is taking no chances when it comes to keeping Sunrise on air and broadcasting the breakfast show live from Martin Place, Sydney every day.
Producers are going to extreme measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as viewers across Australia tune in for updates while self-isolating at home.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal that all staff are required to sanitize their hands before coming into physical contact with any of the presenters on-set of the show.
COVID-19 battle: Channel Seven is taking no chances when it comes to keeping Sunrise on air and broadcasting live from Martin Place, Sydney every day. Pictured: Natalie Barr on Thursday
On Thursday, make-up artists were photographed repeatedly washing their hands with Avagard Antiseptic Hand Rub before giving Natalie Barr a quick top up.
It was only then that they proceeded to refresh her makeup and brush her hair.
There were two large bottles of the antiseptic rub placed around the Sunrise desk and directly next to the talent, just out of view of the show’s cameras.
Hard at work: Daily Mail Australia can reveal that producers are going to extreme measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Pictured: David Koch and Natalie Barr with a crew member
Hygiene: All staff are required to sanitize their hands before coming into physical contact with any of the presenters on-set of the show
A security guard wore a mask as he stood outside of the studio at the main entrance.
The Sunrise team did not appear to be social distancing on-set of the show, with many of the crew coming into close proximity with each other while working.
Presenters Natalie Barr, David Koch, Mark Beretta and Monique Wright also sat inches apart on the sofa, just as they did before the coronavirus pandemic.
Samantha Armytage is currently taking several weeks off the show as a precautionary measure while she recovers from a chest infection.
Safety: On Thursdays, make-up artists were photographed repeatedly washing their hands with Avagard Antiseptic Hand Rub before giving Natalie Barr a quick top up
Extra cautious: A security guard wore a mask as he stood outside of the Sunrise entrance
Channel Nine’s Today Extra appears to be taking further precautions.
On Thursday, David Campbell and Belinda Russell looked to be social distancing as they presented together, sitting noticeably further apart than usual.
It comes after the pair were forced to self-isolate at home last week until they tested negative for the virus, amid a coronavirus scare at Nine’s Willoughby studios.
Social distancing: On Thursday, Today Extra’s David Campbell and Belinda Russell (pictured) looked to be social distancing as they presented together on Channel Nine
Previously: They sat noticeably further apart than they did on Monday (pictured then)
The pair interviewed Tom Hanks’ wife Rita Wilson live on March 9, before she tested positive for coronavirus on March 12.
Globally, more than 204,000 people have been infected with COVID-19 – and cases in Australia have skyrocketed from 73 to 568 in less than two weeks.
With cases of the virus now doubling every three days on home soil, more than 1,000 Australians will likely be struck down with the virus by the weekend.
Pandemic: There have been 568 cases of coronavirus identified in Australia as of Thursday morning – but more are expected in the coming days and weeks