Following Center of Disease Control guidelines, movie theater chains will no longer require fully vaccinated guests to wear masks. Reduced capacity, social distancing, and heavy sanitization will be followed in compliance with CDC safety measures.
Variety reports non-vaccinated individuals can remove their masks when eating or drinking only, and all AMC, Regal, and Cinemark employees must wear their masks while on shift.
AMC commented on the new rules stating, “Guests who are not fully vaccinated are asked to continue wearing masks. All other aspects of the AMC Safe & Clean policies and procedures, including seat blocking, remain in place at this time.”
Regal aims to take a different approach from AMC. According to their website, “vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks or socially distance, the movie theatre industry will continue to meet or exceed state and local public health guidelines.” The chain will base its rules on state and city safety regulations.
Cinemark policy encourages theatergoers to follow CDC rules as much as possible. “Face masks are optional for fully vaccinated guests [except where required by local mandates]. Masks are strongly encouraged for all other guests, in accordance with CDC guidelines. Masks may be removed when eating and drinking inside the auditorium.”
When theaters opened abruptly with their ‘no mask’ policy last year, shit hit the fan. When AMC CEO Adam Aron felt the heat, the chain backtracked and required all masks for everyone.
Are you ready to return to theaters? I don’t know if I’ll go as frequently as I use to, but I am looking forward to going to a movie soon.
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