Up to 150 patrons allowed in cinema halls from Oct 1

SINGAPORE - From Oct 1, large cinema halls with more than 300 seats will be allowed to admit up to 150 patrons in three zones of 50 patrons each.

Other, smaller cinema halls will also be allowed to increase their capacity to 50 per cent of their original operating capacity or maintain the current limit of up to 50 patrons per hall, subject to safe management measures.

Cinemas had previously been allowed to open with the 50-patron limit and a 1m social distancing seating configuration on July 13, after having been closed since March 27.

Restrictions on cinema hall capacity are among a range of measures set to be eased and that were announced by the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19 in a press conference on Wednesday (Sept 23).

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Taskforce co-chair Lawrence Wong, who is also the Education Minister, urged Singaporeans to continue to stay vigilant and comply with safe management measures even as the country gradually opens up.

"If all goes well and if we can maintain this level of compliance, we will then be able to continue with this path of resuming and opening up the economy and society," said Mr Wong.

"(But) what is important for us to understand is that this progressive trajectory is contingent on all of us doing our part, being part of the TraceTogether programme and following safe management measures... It is not automatic."

He added that the relaxation of measures must also come in tandem with a continued increase in testing capabilities.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times.