Back to the cinemas? Bad idea – / Movie



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Back to cinemas

Cinemas in the United States are preparing to reopen. The new mutants, Imbalance, and of course, Principle, are all slated to hit theaters in the coming weeks, but these titles arrive under an umbrella of uncertainty. Because, as you surely know, the coronavirus has not gone anywhere. And there doesn’t appear to be a plan in place at the moment to deal with it.

Instead, theater chains just hope for the best and assume that social distancing and other precautions will keep everyone safe. But how safe is it to go back to the movies now? According to a recent interview with two doctors specializing in epidemiology, this is not at all certain.

Are you ready to go back to the movies? Scratch that – do you think it is sure go back to the cinema? Because I’m sure a lot of us are more than ready to see something on the big screen again, but that doesn’t mean we should. The AV Club spoke with two experts: Dr Anne W. Rimoin, professor of epidemiology and director of the Center for Global and Immigrant Health at the University of California at Los Angeles, and Dr Abdul El-Sayed, doctor and epidemiologist, who is also a former city health commissioner and podcast host America dissected, on the prospect of returning to the cinema. And both doctors have made it clear that going to the movies anytime soon is a bad, a bad idea.

“From what we understand, the virus is transmitted by aerosolized droplets that come out of our mouths, often when we talk or when we laugh or when we sing,” Dr El-Sayed said. “And so being in a room for two hours with a bunch of people making fun of a movie, and where the air isn’t circulating efficiently, and you don’t know who’s been there before you, that “This is a really dangerous exhibition. I just don’t think it’s worth it.

Dr Rimoin added: “And if they sell concessions, people are going to take off their masks and eat, which is equivalent to eating in a restaurant in a closed space – even worse, because you are essentially in a closed box. . There are not even windows, no ventilation.

So should are we going back to the cinema now? “Unless renting an entire movie theater, which obviously isn’t an option for most of us, there’s no scenario in which going to the movies is a good idea,” Dr Rimoin said. . “If a movie theater opens, it needs to close the concessions and have people in the theaters with night vision goggles so they can really see people and make sure no one is bringing food and everyone wear masks at all times. That’s another reason movie theaters aren’t a good idea: you can’t control what everyone else is doing around you.

Concessions are a big part of how cinemas make money, so there’s probably no way in hell that they’ll want to shut them down. And most cinemas can’t even be bothered to have a good showing of movies or deal with rude, rowdy customers, so I’m pretty sure they won’t want to take out night vision goggles to keep an eye on people. .

But if you refuse to accept this, and are determined to go to the theater, Dr El-Sayed says, “I would tell people to wear a mask and keep it on all the time. And do it all contactless: buy your ticket online, have it on your phone, don’t let them touch your phone when they scan it. Don’t spend time in common areas: go straight to your theater, sit as far away from people as possible. I agree that the concessions must be closed and that they must clear the whole theater between each screening.

So what is the solution? Dr Rimoin praises the “drive-in theaters popping up everywhere” and “outdoor screenings”, while Dr El-Sayd adds: “Outdoor cinemas or watching a movie in your car, It’s awesome. But the safest thing is to stay home and watch it on Netflix. We must remember that it is not just our risks that we are talking about. It’s about whether or not we’re serving as a vessel to spread it to people who may not be as healthy. “

I am incredibly frustrated with the industry right now. Studios and theaters have had months of trying to figure something out, and the best they’ve come up with is “We’re gonna blow people up.” Studios and theaters should embrace the idea of ​​pop-up drive-ins – damn it, if Walmart can turn their parking lots into drive-ins, there’s no reason movie chains can’t try to do the same. Instead, theaters and studios seem content to roll the dice and hope for the best, and according to the experts cited above, that’s probably a terrible idea.

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