As the second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic sweeps through the world, France has been in lockdown for some time trying to cut if off. Ever since October 30th, the country has been enforcing strict rules about what businesses are allowed to open and when, hoping to curb the spread of the virus for a second time. Just recently though, French President Emmanuel Macron has revealed that things will begin to gradually re-open starting as early as November 28th.
In his speech Macron stated: “The peak of the second wave of the pandemic has passed. Our efforts, your efforts have paid off.” Starting November 28th, small shops and religious sites will be allowed to start opening up, followed by theaters, cinemas, and museums on December 15th. There will be a curfew enforced at that time, but by January 20th the country expects to allow restaurants and gyms to open up, followed by universities in February.
Things have been difficult for French theaters just as they have been in the U.S. A large number of films that were expected to release, both foreign and domestic were pushed back, and many theaters owners were pushing to open up again in order to save their businesses. Despite this the government decided to prioritize lockdown measures, forcing theaters to stay closed and weather the financial losses. This gradual opening of theaters should at least allow the industry in France to start spinning up its gears again while maintaining some restrictions in order to continue preventing the virus from spreading at full speed.
The United States may be facing a similar situation very soon as the holiday season approaches in tandem with the gradual re-opening of public areas. Even as cases continue to spike many families plan to travel for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and as of yet it is still unclear if coronavirus precautions will have any meaningful effect during Black Friday. If things go poorly, the U.S. may be looking at a second lockdown just like France’s, which could have drastic consequences for many theaters and businesses across the country. Only time will tell whether France’s strategy will be seen as a bold success, or a cautionary tale.
Source: Variety
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