CALIFORNIA—The California Department of Public Health announced that movie theaters can reopen starting on Friday, June 12. In a press release, the department stipulates the safety guidelines and restrictions.
Movie theaters will be allowed to open at “25 percent of theater capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower.”
The announcement highlights that “all guidance should be implemented only with county health officer approval.” The state’s health department will work with counties to assess the impact of the “phased-in restoration of public activities” on public health. The guidance also applies to bowling alleys, miniature golf, batting cages, and arcades.
The guidelines suggest theaters to establish a reservation system to avoid a large number visitors entering the theater at the same time. By designating an arrival time, customers “could arrive at and enter the theater in staggered groups.”
The arrangement of seats inside each theater should be so that a 6 feet distance between household groups is maintained. The theater staff should organize a plan for dismissing customers from each screening “in an orderly fashion to reduce the crossflow of traffic or crowding in exit rows.”
The California Department of Health’s rules ask moviegoers to wear a face covering at all times, except when eating or drinking.
In addition to requiring guests to be screened at the entrance, theaters should display signage to remind visitors to “use face coverings, practice physical distancing, to not touch their face, to frequently wash their hands, and to use hand sanitizer.”
A number of delayed blockbusters including “Mulan,” “Wonder Woman 1984” and “Tenet” are slated to be released in the months of July and August.
