From 10 Aug 2021, cinemas will be adopting a set of Safe Management Measures, but what does this mean for families?
With an upcoming list of exciting family movies, what do families need to adhere to when they visit the cinema? Do the kids need to be swabbed or can unvaccinated parents watch the movie together? Let us share the details below.
*The following information is taken from IMDA's advisory for cinemas and is updated for 10 Aug 2021. You can see the full PDF here.
**If you like what we do, is planning to head to the cinemas and love a discount, do check out the tickets available for Golden Village and Cathay. Note that we earn a small commission for tickets purchased at no cost to you (in fact, tickets are cheaper compared to getting it at the cinema).
Can unvaccinated children visit the cinemas?
Yes, children who are 12 years old and below may visit the cinema. The group size must still be capped at a maximum of 5 pax.
Can I bring my kid's cousins/friends to watch a movie together?
No, the advisory states that for groups with more than 1 children (12 years and below), all children must be from the same household.
Can I bring my kid's grandparents to watch a movie together? / Can grandparents bring my kids to watch a movie together?
Yes, if the grandparents are fully vaccinated. While all children must be from the same household, other vaccinated individuals in the group can be from other households.
This applies not to just grandparents but also valid for friends, other family members, etc.
Can my kid go watch a movie with his/her friends?
No, while the advisory allows up to 5 children to visit the cinema, the children have to be from the same household.
Other points to take note of
Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures
The above are for cinemas which have implemented Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures (VDS). Which means there are vaccinated vs non-vaccinated halls. The advisory is not clear about what about cinemas who have not implemented VDS - however we think most major cinemas have implemented VDS.
Number of Adults vs Kids
The number of children attendees should not exceed more than 20% of the total number of patrons in VDS halls - we are not sure how every cinema is implementing this. We tried to make a booking on the Golden Village (GV) and Shaw websites. On the GV website, they did not ask for a breakdown of adults versus kids while Shaw website required us to indicate if the ticket is for an adult or kid.
Popcorn and other F&B
Dining-in and food and beverage consumption in the cinemas is allowed only for patrons who are vaccinated - if you are not vaccinated, the takeaway option is still available. So do prep the kids accordingly.
