Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top expert on infectious diseases in the United States, said it will not be safe to sit down in movie theaters for at least a year. Earlier this year, movie theaters around the world closed to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 strain of coronavirus. As theaters have reopened around the world, debate has continued regarding the safety of moviegoing.
Earlier this summer, AMC Theaters faced considerable backlash after releasing its reopening safety protocols, initially not requiring guests to wear masks. The backlash prompted a reversal and the theater has since made masks mandatory while guests are in common areas and in the theater, as long as they are not consuming concessions. That said, epidemiologists warn that going to the movies still poses a potential health risk. This has created a divide between medical experts and movie studios, who are eager to release properties that have been shifting around the release schedule since the beginning of the pandemic. Now, Dr. Fauci has offered his own insight on movie theaters.
In an Instagram Live with Jennifer Garner, the actress asked when it would be safe for people to sit in theaters again and see the movies and performances that have been cancelled due to the pandemic. Garner and Fauci discussed a potential vaccine and the impact that vaccine would have on the safety of theaters. Despite hopes that a vaccine could be rolled out by November (which Dr. Fauci deems unlikely), Dr. Fauci says that a vaccine does not guarantee immediate safety. He predicts it will take at least a year for the vaccine to ensure the safest possible circumstances. Within that year, and during the rollout of the vaccine, communities will gain immunity as long as general health safety practices are also followed. Dr. Fauci predicts that the soonest it will be safe to enter theaters without a mask would be Fall 2021. This is all contingent on when exactly a vaccine will be released, though, and how effective said vaccine is.
Trials for potential vaccines are still being conducted and the results indicate some progress. However, Dr. Fauci emphasizes that patience is crucial. Things like moviegoing and other activities that bring large amounts of people together will not immediately be safe upon the release of a vaccine. This means that, if theaters remain open, social distancing protocols and other safety measure will have to remain in place while the effects of the vaccine are studied by medical experts. While the theater industry is eager to get back to normal and fill as many seats as possible to recoup the losses of the last six months, moviegoers seem hesitant to return to the theater. Additionally, Dr. Fauci suggests that returning to moviegoing as it was before the pandemic will take more time.
With movies like Tenet and The New Mutants bringing less than stellar box office results, these next few months are crucial for the future of moviegoing. Studios and theaters are facing pressure financially, but the numbers are showing that even highly anticipated movies might not be enough to bring people back to theaters. Safety seems to be a top priority for most moviegoers and while there are strict measures in place to protect moviegoers in most theaters, there is still a health risk. A vaccine may be the only thing to truly bring back blockbuster-crowds and even then, waiting is crucial in determining when and how safe it will be. Regardless of how soon things return to any semblance of normal, it is clear that the moviegoing industry will be changed forever.
Source: Jennifer Garner/Instagram