TN government allows 100 percent seating in theatres ahead of Pongal, experts oppose move

CHENNAI: In the wake of the Tamil Nadu government permitting 100 percent seating capacity in theatres on Monday, public health experts have opposed the move, saying it may lead to more COVID-19 cases.

The TN government’s move to allow hundred percent seating comes after actor Vijay requested Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to grant permission ahead of the release of his movie Master on January 13.

Along with the Vijay-starrer, Silambarasan’s movie Eshwaran is also set to hit the big screen.

However, from the medical standpoint, experts say it is not safe inside closed spaces, that too for long hours.

Infectious diseases specialist Ram Gopalakrishnan of Apollo Hospitals said it is not an optimal situation to allow 100 percent attendance in theatres and it may lead to more cases.

“Definitely increase in attendance in crowded indoor areas will increase the number of cases. It is perhaps much better to proceed with this move after the vaccination rolls out,” he said.

He said that people would remove masks for eating popcorn and other snacks, which is risky. “The impact can be minimized by wearing masks and avoiding food in theatres. But still it is risky as social distancing can’t be maintained,” he said.

Even when the 50 percent restrictions were in place, residents say theatres did not follow social distancing norms and allowed friends or a group of people to sit together. Many people were allowed inside theatres and malls without masks as well.

A study published in the Journal of Korean Medical Science says the possibility of transmission of the virus indoors is high and it can even travel up to 20 metres, indicating that even the
conventional six-feet social distancing norm may not be enough. The researchers arrived at the transmission distance from the GPS of patients who had all gone to a restaurant.

Dr Prabhdeep Kaur, Deputy Director, Indian Council of Medical Research–National Institute of Epidemiology, said it is not safe. “I will advise public to avoid closed spaces anywhere,” she said.