Life should get back on track, but no room for complacency

Cleaning of halls, thermal scanning and health check-up of the staff can help check the spread among moviegoers

Cinemas to tide over Covid blues

With declining number of cases and flattening of the curve, the Centre has allowed opening of cinema halls with 50 per cent capacity. There is no doubt that because of the prolonged lockdown and being incarcerated, people are suffering from fatigue. It is also true that of all the businesses cinemas were among the worst hit. Opening would be beneficial both for the cinemas as well as the people. TV may be good for home entertainment but it can't replace the experience of a big screen. But, some precautions are very essential because there's no surety that covid-19 will not spike again - it is happening in many countries which have again taken to the lockdown. With capacity limiting to 50 per cent it is also necessary to sanitise cinema halls before and after every show. Preference should be given to online ticketing instead of physically getting tickets. The audience should be instructed to wear masks and also keep physical distancing during the interval. Even parking places should be made to observe same protocols. Opening of the halls will have a salutary effect on the psyche because many of them were/are suffering from depression and anxiety.

Dr JS Wadhwa

'Isn't it better to do your thing at home?'

Buoyed up by the dramatic downswing in the number of positive cases, the Centre has allowed reopening of cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes with 50 per cent capacity across the country. Since there is no room for complacency, the decision has elicited a mixed response. Whereas the movieholics are elated over the prospect of watching a film on the big screen, medical experts have expressed serious concerns over the safety. They apprehend that the transmission may intensify during the upcoming festival season and winter months along with dengue and other influenza viruses. Despite assurances from the cinema owners to strictly implement the mandatory health and hygiene protocols including wearing of masks, socially distanced limited seating, frequent sanitising theatre facilities between screenings, temperature checks at the doors and upgrading ventilation systems, it is difficult to enforce these precautionary guidelines meticulously. Sitting in an enclosed space with strangers and eating and drinking for two to three hours involves an inherently high risk. In the midst of an uncertain pandemic situation, any laxity in adherence to safety measures may prove fatal. Prudence demands that we should ponder the following questions before deciding our priorities. Isn't there lot more to consider than what film to see and what to eat in the hall? Are movie theatres exactly an essential business? Will theatre operators act responsibly? Isn't it better to cuddle up at home and enjoy our choicest movies on TV and Netflix? Physical well-being is decidedly more important than recreation. Therefore, it is imperative to avoid non-essential locales such as hotels, restaurants, gyms, parlours, shopping malls, multiplexes and religious places to contain the scourge of covid-19. Over to the Indian populace in their best interests.

DS Kang

QUESTION

The Covid cases are falling in the state and the state government has decided to open the schools from today despite the fact that a majority of the parents have shown their reluctance to send their wards to school. What do you think is the best possible solution in the current scenario?
Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to jalandhardesk@ tribunemail.com by Thursday (October 22).

Life has to be lived normally

As the wave of Covid is receding in India and government allowing cinema halls to reopen with 50 per cent capacity, however, it will take a while for people to feel safe in an enclosed place. Bollywood is the biggest revenue generating industry and is suffering great because of the virus' impact, so it's a welcome decision to reopen the cinema halls but adequate physical distance is mandatory, meaning every alternate seat needs to be kept vacant. Instead of counter ticket, advance booking should be allowed to avoid crowding and delivery of food should not be allowed inside and people should be allowed after checking the temperature. It is the need of the hour. For how long the pandemic will stay, nobody knows, so life has to be lived normally but by taking all precautions as wearing masks, maintaing social distance and frequent sanitisation.

Shashi Kiran

Decision welcomed, no time for laxity

It is heartening that the state's Covid curve in most of the parameters have started falling. But still there is no reason for being complacent and the situation needs to be closely watched to prevent resurfacing in near future. However, the proposed move of the state government in allowing reopening of cinema halls with half of capacity is welcomed, more because of the fact that we have to adopt certain strategy of co-existing with the virus which is going to stay for an indefinite period of time as per the opinion of some experts on the subject. The said strategy aims to keep the public sensitised about the impending risks coupled with basic precautions to be taken while leading a normal social life .The festival season is knocking at our doors and the people need to learn celebrating the occasions while remaining fully awakened to their responsibilities towards their own health as well as others.

Jagdish Chander

REOPENING WITH NEW NORMS JUSTIFIED

Reopening of cinema halls with all precautions and protocols is as justified as reopening any other thing in this unprecedented hard times. Proper cleaning of halls, use of body temperature detectors, grilling health check-ups of the staff and wearing masks while watching movies must be mandatory. Booking tickets and snacks online to avoid human contact would help too. Scores of people from diverse backgrounds depend on the Indian film industry for their livelihoods. The shutdown since March has cost the film industry beyond imagination. People would be sceptical about the preventive measures and it would be a challenge for the cinema owners to bring them back to the 70mm screen. Our film industry is the biggest in the world in terms of making maximum movies in a year but it is in a deep crisis now. Reopening of cinema halls by adhering to the stringent dos and don'ts would eventually help one and all.

Anil Sharma

Right decision amid all the gloom

With the scientific advancements, we are finding new equipments and gadgets to bring more and more comforts in our daily life. But practically it is a race between human being and nature. As we find solution for one problem, the next problem crops up. In case of health sector in the last more than 100 years, many deadly diseases came up but after great research when we controlled it the next disease showed its face. Recently, we were fighting cancer in this series but now as it is curable, hence the incurable coronavirus came up. If we wait for invention of vaccine for it than our already ailing economy will completely collapse coming to a grinding halt. So, the only solution is to open up all the sectors of the economy but with strict preventive measures like mask wearing and observing physical distancing norms. Our film industry is on the top of world in regard to number of films produced per year, thus, contributing a great share in form of employment and revenue generating. Its share in giving relief to the stressful human life is also significant. So, government''s decision to open up cinema halls with preventive measures is a step in the right direction. Prevention is better than cure, but prevention is the only cure for the virus

Harsh N Johar

Great news for cinema-goers!

The cinemas, theatres and multiplexes are all set to open from October 15 and fans are overjoyed. Cinema-goers had been waiting for reopening for many months now. As per the new Unlock 5 guidelines, cinemas and multiplexes have been allowed to reopen with 50 per cent seating capacity. Physical distancing is mandatory. For seating, every alternate seat will have to be kept vacant and clearly marked. Cinema-goers have been advised to avoid moving during intermission and as per the guidelines no delivery of food and beverages will be allowed inside the auditorium. During the film, it would be mandatory for the people to wear masks. After the end of the show, the entire hall would be sanitised, before the start of second show. Since the process is going to be time taking, only three-four shows could be shown in a day.

Saahil Hans