September 2, 2020
Opening movie theaters is a bad idea. Our priority as a community should be to reduce COVID infection rates as much as possible in order to get kids back in schools and allow working parents to get back to their jobs. There are nearly one thousand movie screens across the state. Each will be allowed to seat up to 100 people in an indoor space for 2+ hours 4-5 times/day. Reopening theaters to the public is bound to drive up infection rates.
Although our health department has been supportive of business re-openings during the continuing COVID pandemic, this latest state order defies logic. Until we have an effective vaccine for COVID, placing large numbers of people in close proximity for hours at a time is a danger to those in attendance and others they live and work with.
We implore residents of Calvert to think of others who may be secondarily infected as a result of infections picked up by moviegoers. Until people have the ability to receive effective vaccines, or the rate of COVID infections drops close to zero, we can make the collective sacrifice of watching feature films on the small screen (if you consider 72 and 80-inch home monitors to be small). And the popcorn is cheaper!
We do sympathize with theater owners and their employees, but this is one instance when the risks of disease transmission, the negative impacts on the resumption of in-class learning, and the financial costs to other employers greatly exceed the benefits to one small sector of the economy.
Be excellent to each other and catch Bill and Ted, Da 5 Bloods, or Shaun the Sheep from the comfort of your home, at least for now.
