A recent discussion about opening cinemas in Nigeria has been making rounds, and Nollywood actress, Nancy Isime, agrees with the notion.
She took to her Instagram page to say that the routines observed at cinemas are more or less like those in airports, and since airlines have been allowed to continue operations, cinemas should also be permitted to.
Read More – These Nancy Isime Ankara Styles Are Golden!
She said she’s all for safety, but since almost all other sectors are opening up with safety measures in place, then cinemas shouldn’t be left out of the equation. Here’s what she had to say in her lengthy Instagram post:
I am really up for safety, I REALLY am but then when everything is opening up I had to rethink, especially restaurants opening today following guidelines. Cinemas are not high risk environments for COVID19 at this time. If you’re airlines open, then the argument gets a bit thin for why cinemas shouldn’t.
The operations are exact with airlines. Same queueing process, same boarding and ticketing process, same seating process, everything. A flight from Lagos to Sokoto lasts 3hrs, 40 minutes, an average film lasts maximum 2hours, I mean unless when the lengthy ones come along.
In handling social matters like these, what to consider is not the industry, but how service interfaces with people. From China to Germany, South Korea, Australia, UK, parts of USA, France, New Zealand, etc…we keep hearing everyday about how cinemas are reopening.
Nigerian cinemas have gone ahead to demonstrate several safety precautions they plan to implement when they open. According to circulated articles and IG animation posts, these measures include;
1. Operating at 50% capacity to allow for social distancing
2. Compulsory use of facemasks by staff and movie-goers
3. Disinfecting cinema auditoriums after every show
4. Strategic placement of hand sanitizers and hand washers around cinema lobbies
5. Disinfecting surfaces around cinemas frequently.
6. Hotlines for easy reach to NCDC
7. Marked floors on foyers to regulate social distancing.There are over 5,000 cinema staff with unpaid salaries for the past 5 months; all employees of tax-paying cinemas, in some cases – double taxed. Yet, no palliatives have been received from the government, and these employees are expected to wait until whenever the government deems fit. I personally know at least 300 of these people.
In a survey report recently published, over 65% of movie-goers in Nigeria are willing to go to cinemas once they are opened. Another 25% would go if they are sure of the effectiveness of the safety precautions. The long lockdown has had a disastrous impact on the mind and mental health of so many Nigerians. One way to ease of these harm is to unwind at the movies.
Here’s the post:
