Reducing ticket prices increases spread

More+than+90+theatre+chains+around+the+country+decided+to+reopen%2C+with+tickets+costing+15-20+cents+apiece%2C+a+huge+discount+from+the+average+price+of+tickets+before+the+pandemic.+A+way+of+attracting+customers+back+to+the+seats+and+getting+things+back+to+normal%2C+but+with+Coronavirus+still+out+there%2C+going+to+a+movie+theatre+has+not+regained+popularity.%0A

courtesy of Parade Magazine

More than 90 theatre chains around the country decided to reopen, with tickets costing 15-20 cents apiece, a huge discount from the average price of tickets before the pandemic. A way of attracting customers back to the seats and getting things back to normal, but with Coronavirus still out there, going to a movie theatre has not regained popularity.

Racheal Oni, Reporter

According to the CDC mingling with crowds, such as while attending a movie, creates a huge risk of exposing people to COVID-19. However, theatres such as the  AMC movie theatre announced ways to keep enjoying movies safe with mandatory masks in theatres. However, movie attendees can take them off to eat or drink. This could cause respiratory droplets to spread in those few seconds and infect a multitude of people at once. The virus can also spread by contact with an infected object and touching the eyes, nose, or mouth. Studies show that COVID can last on a surface from a few hours to several days, movie theatres utilize many community amenities which could all carry the coronavirus.

A risk assessment chart made by a Texas medical association COVID-19 task force stated that going to the movie theatre ranked as a high-risk activity. Taking this into consideration,  some movie theatres have decreased prices as a way of attracting customers. However, if the movie theatres’ plan works and people decide to attend movies the virus will continue to spread.

“One of the worst parts of having COVID-19, it has symptoms whatsoever and a person could have contracted the virus and possibly exposed people who he/she may have come in contact with, to the virus and has no idea unless the individual gets tested,” said a registered nurse at Wellstar Kennestone hospital, Kehinde Omotoso.    

The AMC theatre claims to only fill fifty percent of the auditorium and leave every other row of seats empty to ensure social distancing. What about people with children who can not sit still and decide to wander about the auditorium touching dirty surfaces? In case of that happening, theatre management says the auditorium will spray disinfectants around and have frequently touched surfaces cleaned between shows

There are many alternatives to physically attending a movie theatre, for instance, drive-in theatres. those have made quite the comeback this summer during the pandemic. so If an individual decides that they still wish to attend a movie somewhere outside of the house, an outdoor drive-in theater has large outdoor screens visible from the comfort of one’s car, which allows people to enjoy their movie of choice while still adhering to social distancing-guidelines. 

Movie theatres deciding to reduce their ticket prices proved smart, but with the virus still out there their plan to attract customers back with the unbelievably cheap ticket prices might prove not to be the wisest move.