Shanghai to gradually reopen cinemas from July 8

The city will reopen cinemas on July 8, the Shanghai Film Bureau announced on Wednesday. Cinemas and other entertainment venues have been shut since the city imposed a COVID-19 pandemic lockdown at the end of March.

Viewers who acquire tickets from online venues will have to provide negative result for nucleic acid test taken within 72 hours prior to entering any cinema. Also, the 24-hour polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test certificate, if the result has yet to come out, cannot be used to enter movie theaters.

Viewers have to scan the venue code and have their temperatures taken upon entering. Cinemas won't accept viewers who do not wear facial masks and whose temperature is 37.3 degrees Celsius and above.

For those who cannot scan the venue code or have problem accessing the code, physical Suishenma copies and viewer' ID card can also be used for entry.

Cinemas will not provide food and drinks temporarily, while eating and drinking is prohibited inside theaters.

After thorough research, favorable policies and subsidies will be provided to facilitate the recovery of the film industry, which was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, the bureau said.