Punjab decides to reopen cinemas, theaters; SOPs issued

LAHORE: The Punjab government on Sunday allowed cinemas and theaters to reopen from Monday, August 10 with strict enforcement of standard operating procedures (SOPs), ARY News reported.

A notification has been issued by Punjab Primary and Secondary Health Department in this regard. The primary & secondary health department has also issued SOPs under the instructions of Punjab govt.

In order to maintain social distancing, 6-foot distance has been made mandatory in the cinemas and theaters. No customer will be allowed to enter the restaurants without masks.

SOPs for cinemas and theaters

No Mask No Entry should be strictly implemented
Avoid touching surfaces unnecessarily
Maintain sufficient stock of hand sanitizers at cinemas and theatre halls
Limit the hall occupancy to 40 percent of total capacity
Open air theatre should be preferred over indoor closed hall
Online ticketing should be preferred
Cinema, theaters should offer shows of shorter duration (40-60 minutes)
Ensure adequate ventilation of the halls
Inter show interval should be at least for 60 minutes in order to ensure proper cleanliness and disinfection
Ensure temperature checking at entry points

The Punjab government yesterday also issued a list of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for restaurants and fast-food outlets in the province.

In a notification, Primary and Secondary Healthcare secretary said that social gathering will not be allowed in the eateries. There will be a complete ban on entry of people above the age of 60 in the restaurants.