Leading movie theaters have lifted mask requirements for fully vaccinated customers. Photo Credit: Krists Luhaers
Movie theaters AMC, Regal, and Cinemark have lifted their mask mandates for “fully vaccinated” customers – albeit while calling on those who haven’t received a COVID-19 vaccine to continue wearing face coverings.
In a series of individual announcement messages published earlier this weekend, higher-ups from AMC, Regal, and Cinemark revealed that they would no longer require fully vaccinated guests to dawn masks inside their movie theaters – excepting establishments located in cities that are still mandating face coverings, however.
Leawood, Kansas-headquartered AMC, shares of which dipped as low as $1.91 apiece last year, detailed the updated mask guidelines in a post about its continued commitment to health and safety ahead of a broader reopening. As an aside, AMC finished at $26.12 per share when the market closed on Friday.
Specifically on the mask front, though, the company noted that it’s allowing fully vaccinated individuals to forgo masks “in accordance with CDC guidelines,” whereas non-vaccinated persons must wear face coverings “unless actively enjoying food or drinks.”
Next, Knoxville, Tennessee-based Regal outlined new mask protocols in a piece about the “CinemaSafe” measures that are in place across its nearly 550 locations. With an August of 2020 video (featuring epidemiologist Dr. David F. Goldsmith and centering on movie theaters’ COVID safety measures) featured prominently at its top, the guide reiterates on the topic of “face coverings” that both vaccination rates and coronavirus infection totals are improving.
Owing to these points and the aforementioned CDC guidelines, Regal wrote: “Masks will not be required unless mandated by state and local guidelines. Where masks are mandated, they can be removed only while eating and drinking while seated in an auditorium. Employees monitor auditoriums throughout each performance as a standard practice.”
This text appears to suggest that all Regal customers – not solely those who are fully vaccinated – won’t have to wear a mask unless required to do so by statewide orders or rules implemented by local government officials.
Similarly, Plano, Texas-headquartered Cinemark acknowledged that “face masks are optional for fully vaccinated guests” – and, seemingly stopping short of making face coverings necessary for those who’ve yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19, relayed that “masks are strongly encouraged for all other guests, in accordance with CDC guidelines.”
Following these developments – and ahead of concerts’ and music festivals’ full-scale comeback – one would assume that major music venues will begin lifting their own mask requirements for vaccinated individuals. To be sure, a number of establishments have already announced that they will reopen at full capacity and without mask mandates this summer.
And on the artist side, all manner of well-known acts, including The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, and many others, are preparing to embark on sold-out world tours in 2022. More immediately, Travis Scott’s Astroworld, Jay-Z’s Made in America, Live Nation’s Shaky Knees, and Insomniac’s EDC Las Vegas are slated to take place later in 2021, while Florida Georgia Line, Weezer, and The Jonas Brothers are set to kick off concert series in the approaching months.
Love how the honor system is in place to validate people having been vaccinated. Exactly what are the stamped cards used for? AMC and other businesses better hope there aren’t any variants in their locations.