The first day after the reopening ofWanda Cinemas. (Photo by Fu Beibei, reporter of Three Gorges Daily)

　　The screens eventually resumed business after six-month-longclosure. On July 22, the first day of the reopening of thetheaters in Yichang City, 17 cinemas out of 25 in total resumed work.

　　Multi-measures adopted to secure safety in cinemas

　　on July 16, it was announced by China Film Administration that theaters in COVID-19 low-risk areas were allowed to reboot steadily and orderly from July 20 as long as effective prevention and control measures were available.

　　On July 19, the Publicity Department of the Municipal Committee (PDMC)issued the detailed rules for the reopening at the earliest opportunity so as to bolster the resurgence of the cinemas, allowing their normal business when streamline the approval procedures.

　　In order to ensure the safety in the theaters, on July 22, the PDMC dispatched specific team to CGV Cinemas, Pacific Cinemas, Wanda Cinemas and Tianyi Cinemas for site investigations to see if the prevention and control measures were taken or any difficulties were there. The team highlighted the equipment of supplies for COVID-19 prevention and control and spaces for isolation as well as the measures for COVID-19 prevention and control and safety production including regular disinfection of all the places inside the cinemas such as the hall and viewing room, health registration of the returned staff and training for pandemic prevention, giving suggestions for those under the standard to improve.

　　“Continuous inspection will be carried out later and the theaters that fail to meet the standard are expected to rectify in a timely way.” Noted Liu Zhengzheng, director of the Art Section of the PDMC.

　　All-round prevention measures conducted for your coming

　　The first batch of audience were received at 12:30 am yesterday in CGV Cinemas.

　　With the reopening of the cinemas, all tickets, which were sold in a no-contacting vein and alternative seats, should be reserved online with providing the buyers’ identities. Also, the audience were required to keep a distance of at least 1 meter apart and the theaters were required to sell no more than 30% of all seats at every screening. In Pacific Cinemas, the audience all wore masks and did temperature test as well as registered through code-scanning in line with the regulations consciously when nobody took snacks or drinks with them.

　　“Temperature checks will be conducted to the staff before their return and to those on duty every 4 hours; disinfection is projected to be carry out in the hall every 2 hours and also after every film, the public areas like the lobbies need to be sterilized no less than 5 times per day.” Li Feng, the manager of the Pacific Cinemas said staff responsible were arranged according to the different areas to conduct disinfection and other prevention work.

　　Film is the key to attract the customers back. On the first day of reopening, the theaters ran some previously-made films such as A First Farewell, Bright Troch 3Dand Sheep Without a Shepherd. On the premise of alternatively sitting, the tickets of some sessions were sold out online. A group of excellent movies from home and abroad are going to be on schedule and released.

　　Experiencing the sense of ceremony in a coronavirus-worry-free environment

　　“I bought the ticket on the early morning to support the reopening of the theaters.” Han Xiaoqin, a sophomore of Hubei Three Gorges Polytechnic enjoyed a movie in CGV Cinemas with his friends at 15:00 yesterday. He said that many of his friends decided to watch movies in the cinemas on the first day of reopening to experience the sense of ceremony when the news that theaters resumed business spread in the Discover of Wechat.

　　“I feel at ease when watching the movie since the all-round prevention measures against pandemic prepared by the staff.” said Miss Xiang after watching a film in Wanda Cinemas. Some people commented on the ticket-purchase platform to express their ideas on the reopening of theaters: “I feel happy again!” “my long-lost ‘Dragon’, I miss you so much (dragon is the logo on the release permit of a movie)!” After half a year of closure, the theaters eventually come back not only with high popularity but also with our hope for life. (Reporter of Three Gorges Daily: Song Xiaoxiao; Correspondent: Liu Hanxi)