Georgia’s Theatrical Safety Rules For Re-Opening
In an effort to give businesses a chance to make money so they aren’t completely financially ruined, Georgia state is re-opening public businesses with restrictions. There are a lot of issues that arise from people suddenly going back to being in public places with a lot of other people. With that in mind, the question is presented as, “What happens when we leave the house?” The state government has managed to come up with rules to allow public businesses to re-open while trying to look out for the safety of citizens. These rules are similar to ones that are essentially already in place in stores that are still open.
Those of you who have left the house in order to go out and get necessities know what stores look like with social distancing rules in place. Things like tape on the floor to keep people six feet apart as well as signs placed everywhere reminding people to stay apart. Businesses must take many additional precautions in order to re-open such as screening patrons for fever at the entrance, limiting occupancy, implementing heavy sanitation routines and staggering employee work stations. Theaters have even more restrictions with people being forced to sit six feet apart, parties can only have up to six people in them. Additionally, “employees must clean every seat, armrest, door handle, handrail and doorknob before and after each showing,” and ushers “will help enforce social distancing.”
Many theaters almost immediately started going under financially after the pandemic began with even the largest theater chain, AMC, having to furlough its employees. However, even with some theaters choosing to re-open, there is the issue with what movies they will be able to show and how many people would even want to go. With movies either pushed to later dates or released digitally, theaters only have what is in their inventory to show the public. Also, people are wary to go back out in public, and rightly so, given the threat that still exists out there. With that in mind, this is how they plan to do things in the coming weeks.