The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday unveiled the standard operating procedure (SoP) to be followed at cinemas and multiplexes inside shopping malls when they reopen on November 10.
The guidelines mandate six-feet physical distance inside cinemas, masks for both patrons and employees, 50% occupancy of seats, the reduction of touch points at ticket counters and canteens and the screening of patrons for COVID-19 symptoms.
As per the government notification, it is compulsory for cinema owners to collect the phone numbers of patrons to aid in contact tracing in the event of someone testing positive for COVID-19. Only packed food and drinks are permitted to be sold. Sanitiser dispensers must be placed at the entrance and exit points, and the movement of people must be regulated. Vacant seats should be marked with fluorescent tape.
Cinema owners have also been asked to reorganise the timings of shows to ensure that there is no crowding in cinema halls with more than one screen.
Online payments
While prescribing the use of online payments, e-wallets and payments using QR code to reduce touch points, the State government said touch points that are used frequently, such as doors, and cinema halls should be sanitised after every show. “If a person with symptoms is found, they should be isolated in a separate room, and a rapid response team (RRT) should be contacted. Based on the assessment, contact tracing and further course of treatment should be ensured,” the guidelines said.
The government has prohibited cinema halls situated inside COVID-19 containment zones from reopening, and employees residing in such zones from reporting to work.
Cinema owners have been advised not to employ elderly people, pregnant women, those with co-morbidities and symptomatic workers in roles that require direct interaction with the public.
