Infection risks put theaters and cultural venues on alert

Some cultural venues including theaters and cinemas in Shanghai have tightened pandemic control and prevention measures starting Sunday.

People who attend a film screening or a cultural performance in the city must show a negative nucleic acid test result within 48 hours now. The 24-hour test proof or an on-site antigen self-test is not valid.

Cultural venues and film theaters including the Shanghai Grand Theater, Shanghai Concert Hall, Majestic Theater, Suning Cinema and Jinyi Cinema have already released the notice about the new requirements for audience on their websites and WeChat accounts.

Before entering the theaters, audience must scan the venue code and have their temperatures checked.

Eating and drinking are forbidden inside theaters. Theater workers will also patrol during the screenings and remind people to wear masks.

Jin Renbiao, an official from the Shanghai Grand Theater said that they will keep their maximum capacity for each performance at about 50 percent to ensure safe distance for the theater-goers.

Previously, the city required a 72-hour negative PCR report to enter cultural venues in line with other public space. The stricter regulation is to cope with the rising infection risks during the holidays for the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Saturday.

Shanghai found no new COVID-19 community infections on Saturday. But during the central quarantine, one confirmed patient and seven local asymptomatic infections were reported, and a residential area in Jing'an District has been listed as a medium-risk area.