Under the spotlight of the entire pandemic has been Dr. Fauci –stoic, pragmatic, and the voice of reason in the midst of an administration that, well, hasn’t been that reasonable at all.
For those not in the know, Dr. Anthony Fauci is a regarded physician, immunologist, and Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Essentially, there are few on this planet who understands the Coronavirus better than him. (Despite who may listen to him or not.)
Recently, he was asked to be on an Instagram Live interview with Jennifer Garner because what else does the guy have to do with his time these days. In that interview, he may have just pummeled the movie theater business into submission.
Maybe…
Dr. Fauci and the Blockbusters of 2021
Actually, thumbs down for cinephiles, Dr. Fauci.
In case you didn’t take the 30 minutes to listen to the infection major domo chew the fat with Ben Affleck’s ex, here’s what you missed: AMC, Cinemark, Regal, and Cineworld need to find some for sale signs and begin liquidating their popcorn machines.
Why? Going to the movies may be done as we know it.
Why again? People don’t read. We’ll get into that in just a moment.
If we get a really good vaccine and just about everybody gets vaccinated, you’ll have a degree of immunity in the general community that I think you can walk into a theater without a mask
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Instagram Live, Sept. 2020
That sounds promising, right? The nation’s expert on infectious disease is holding high hopes for us to walk into a theater. While he was discussing vaccines and the impending “perfect storm” of COVID, West Nile, and the regular flu coming to your home this winter, he didn’t give much to an already decimated industry.
While contentious debate continues to ensue if going to the movies are safe, here comes Dr. Fauci adding some extra kerosene to that fire saying that while a vaccine could be here by November, “that does not guarantee immediate safety.”
…The soonest it will be safe to enter theaters without a mask would be fall 2021. This is all contingent on when exactly a vaccine will be released, though, and how effective said vaccine is.
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, INSTAGRAM LIVE, SEPT. 2020
The Problem with Hearing but Not Listening
Glad you made it this far because this is the issue with Dr. Fauci’s interview.
That’s the problem with intentional clickbait headlines like you read above and what lazy journalists and pseudo-bloggers will take from the words of Dr. Fauci. The man is discussing going back to the movies without a mask.
Of course, it’ll be a long time before you can safely return to the movies — or anywhere — without a mask. I mean, seriously?! If you trust going anywhere without a mask and a good helping of hand sanitizer, then you’re risking infection with the ‘Rona anyway.
More than 920,000 men, women, and children have died as a result of this virus. It’s real and should be taken seriously. That said, it is manageable if you can manage your surroundings, particularly what comes out of your mouth and nose. And if you’re a dolt, wipe your nose, and grab a box of Wheaties at the grocery store but decide you want the Raisin Bran instead…you just caused a health risk.
And that is why people are so concerned about going back to the movies.
Movie Theaters Are Like Anywhere Else
The area is enclosed, but so is the grocery store or restaurant. We’ve been in this Coronavirus pandemic for months, and as long as you do what Dr. Fauci has been suggesting for all that time, odds are, you’ll stray from the thing.
In a theater, you’re sharing the same air, much like you are in a church or a hotel, where restrictions have loosened as well. With checkered seating, skipping rows, replacing carpet, super sanitizing between each movie, and…oh yeah, wearing a mask and maybe gloves, movie theaters are like any other place.
Take it from Dr. Fauci, the less you touch and the less you expose, the better you are. And if you only care about returning to the movies without a mask, then that interview was for you. However, if you want to go the movies now, you may want to pay attention to what Dr. Fauci has said about that too.
So, protect yourself, take precaution, then enjoy the movies. It’s okay, but it’s your call. Otherwise, enjoy that VOD. The future may be here faster than you think.
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