(Variety) Guangzhou, the capital of China’s top movie-going province Guangdong, announced Friday that cinemas there can now reopen after nearly a month of closures due to a rise in COVID-19 cases.
Theaters were shuttered in a number of districts in the city of more than 15 million on June 7 after an outbreak that authorities worried could be tied to new, more transmissible coronavirus variants.
Cinemas were closed for 25 days before local authorities declared that the outbreak has now been “effectively controlled.”
“Enclosed entertainment venues (cinemas, theaters, music and dance entertainment venues, KTVs, internet cafes, etc.), enclosed indoor parts of tourist attractions, and indoor sports venues may operate at up to 75% maximum capacity if they implement reservations, staggered entries and other measures,” they said in a statements.
Patrons will be required to wear masks, scan their health QR code to prove a clean bill of health, and have their temperature measures for entry, as well as maintain six feet of distance between each other in queues.
Guangdong as a whole reported eight new cases on July 1, and has averaged just three cases in the last seven days in the province of more than 115 million inhabitants.
Cinemas will re-open just in time for audiences to contribute to opening weekend sales for new propaganda blockbusters “1921” and “The Pioneer,” which opened Thursday, the day of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party.
The star-studded historical drama “1921” is set for releases in the U.S., U.K., Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It grossed $12.6 million on opening day.
Source: Variety by Rebecca Davis