Time, space, people, place. As businesses open and events start happening again, I keep thinking about those factors. Spending a lot of time in an enclosed space with lots of other people is not where I want to be on the COVID-19 risk spectrum. And that means no movie theaters, for me, for a long time.
But some theaters are opening. So are a lot of other things that rank pretty high on the risk spectrum: Some churches are starting to have in-person services again. The president held a rally. Restaurants in many areas are open for indoor dining.
I’m not interested in any of that, personally, as a customer. But I’m also concerned for the workers at these places, because they’re subject to all of our germs. As a customer, you might decide you’ll still eat out occasionally, as a treat. As a server, you can’t decide you’ll work occasionally.
So as we see more opportunities to get out of the house, we have to weigh these risks carefully, because other people—companies, governments—aren’t necessarily acting with our best interests at heart. Just because something is open doesn’t mean it’s safe.
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Movie theaters are trying to keep their safety measures subtle, the Washington Post reports, because they fear people won’t feel comfortable going at all if they’re constantly reminded of how risky a movie theater can be. Well, maybe that’s how it should be.
Personally, I’m doing my best to avoid situations with:
crowdsmaskless peoplesinging or shoutingindoor gatheringsextended periods of time near othersI’ll go shopping. I might consider, someday, a brief trip to the gym at off-peak hours for some socially-distanced squats. I’m not getting on an airplane anytime soon and I’m definitely not going to sit in a movie theater for two hours. How about you?
