One step forward, one step back. I don’t think it’s controversial to call the pandemic an unpredictable b**ch. It’s highly contagious and lies dormant for days and sometimes two weeks at a time. As such, it’s possible to pass it on even if you show no symptoms. This is a big reason why ordering people to stay home has become so important. It’s also why I was surprised when China decided to re-open many of their theaters.

Last week, we reported on the country un-shuttering around 500 theaters. Now, it sounds like they’re doing the opposite. According to Variety, the Chinese authorities ordered all theaters in the country to shut down once more. While there has been no official reason stated behind this, it is likely due to more concerns surrounding the coronavirus.

Yesterday, there was a new patient that was diagnosed with COVID-19 there, and it was via local transmission in Zhejiang province. With that province bordering the likes of the populous Shanghai and Jiangsu, you can understand their desire to lock things down once again. Of course, that aspect is just speculation from some, but it does make a lot of sense.

RELATED – China Opens Up 500 Theaters As Coronavirus Lets Up

It’s also worth noting that while China did re-open a lot of their theaters, they weren’t exactly drawing in crowds. The outlet states that screenings were averaging less than a person a day. All in all, their national daily box office haul was in the low thousands of dollars. With that in mind, it certainly doesn’t sound like the theaters themselves were to blame for that extra case.

One interesting note in all this is that it sounds like the country’s strategy for re-opening theaters is shifting. Rather than open up theaters in batches, going forward, it will likely be more of a “one size fits all” approach. This means that, when it is deemed safe, they will all likely re-open at once. This comes courtesy of one cinema practitioner. 

What do you think of China re-shuttering their theaters? Is this a smart move? Let us know your thoughts down below!

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SOURCE: Variety