Finally, Anies Allowed The Cinema To Operate Again

Cinema (Felix Mooneram / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government announced that the implementation of Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) will be loosened again with a transitional status starting October 12. Several social activities in public spaces have reopened, one of which is the cinema.

In the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government document received by VOI, cinemas are again allowed to open with strict health protocol requirements. Among them is to implement a maximum capacity of 25 percent.

DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has obliged cinemas to set a minimum distance of 1.5 meters between seats. This is to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus in theaters.

"Then visitors are not allowed to pass by or change their seats while the film is playing. Officers wear masks, face shields and gloves," wrote the requirements in the document of the DKI Provincial Government which was closed on Sunday, October 11.

This protocol must also be carried out in other indoor activities, namely seminars, theater performances, marriage ceremonies, wedding ceremonies and wedding receptions. Then for the provisions of the opening hours and operational time are determined by technical approval. Building owners are required to apply for technical approval.

As long as DKI Jakarta implemented strict PSBB volume I in early March, until the strict PSBB volume II which ended on October 11, cinemas were never allowed to operate. The reason, of course, is because it prevents the spread of the COVID-19 virus in theaters.

More than 6 months the cinema has been inoperative due to the COVID-19 pandemic. DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has yet to give permission to reopen. The still closure of big screens in the Capital City has affected the cinemas in the regions because they do not get a supply of films.

As is known, initially cinemas would be allowed to open on July 29, 2020, but canceled after seeing the condition that the spread of COVID-19 was still on the rise in Jakarta.

Then, it was decided that cinemas in DKI would be on August 14 along with the extension of the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) transition to August 13. However, it was canceled again. Until finally, the Provincial Government implemented a strict PSBB volume II policy from September 14 2020 to October 11, cinemas still had not been granted permission to operate.

Finally, at the transitional PSBB which took effect October 12 to October 25, cinemas were allowed to operate. However, on the condition that it implements strict health protocols.

The opening of this cinema is because based on the results of monitoring and evaluation of the DKI Jakarta Province COVID-19 Handling Acceleration Task Force, it appears that there is a slowdown in the increase in positive cases and active cases even though there is still an increase in transmission.

"Seeing this, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has decided to reduce the emergency brake policy gradually and enter the Transitional Large-Scale Social Restriction (PSBB) with new provisions for the next two weeks, from 12 to 25 October 2020," said Anies.