Theatres, multiplexes to open with 100% capacity

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

After grappling with the third wave of the Covid pandemic for more than a month, the state government on Friday decided to allow 100 per cent occupancy in cinema halls but also made two doses of the vaccine mandatory for entry into halls. The curbs on gyms, swimming polls, multiplexes and yoga centres have also been relaxed.

Disclosing this to the media here, Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K.Sudhakar said the government had restricted occupancy to 50 per cent when the new variant, Omicron spread across the state in the last week of December. The guidelines were issued at that time according to the Covid-19 situation.

However, the government had relaxed rules after January 15 following improvement in the situation and accordingly, 50 per cent occupancy was allowed in cinema halls, multiplexes, gymnasiums, yoga centres and swimming pools.

Dr Sudhakar said in January, the admission of patients to hospitals was around 5-6 per cent but now, it has declined to 2 per cent.

Recently, leading actors, producers and directors of the Kannada film industry had met the CM and poured out their woes saying the 50 per cent occupancy rule had led to huge losses for the industry. They had requested the government to take a decision in the interests of the film industry. After considering the situation, the CM agreed to hundred per cent occupancy in cinema halls, he added. However, Dr Sudhakar has asked people to take precautionary measures such as wearing of masks and not having eatables while watching movies. The authorities will make surprise inspections to check the implementation of the Covid protocol, he said.

A new set of guidelines would also be issued shortly making double dose vaccination mandatory for cinema goers. People must not flout rules just because the government has withdrawn the rule as the pandemic is still active in many districts, he added.