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Original poster

Has anyone caught (or think you caught) covid in a cinema/theatre or happily escaped it when visiting the cinema?

103 replies

MGMidget · 29/01/2022 17:54

I am just trying to weigh up the risks. My DD has been invited to go to a popular children’s movie (just launched) at the cinema by her Godmother. My instinct is to say no because the cinema will be full of unvaccinated, non mask-wearing kids. However, I wondered if it is actually not that risky because people are not talking face to face but sitting quietly all facing in one direction? I know there’s been some research published suggesting this is the case but I believe it was done in relation to pre-Delta covid so less transmissible back then! I wondered what people’s recent experiences were with cinema/theatre trips, especially with unvaccinated DCs who havent recently had covid before going to the cinema/theatre?

OP posts:
itsgettingweird · 29/01/2022 18:41

Is she school age?

Right now that's the biggest place of risk to children.

So yes, there is a risk. But I doubt it's more risk than she faces daily iyswim?

So I guess for you if she's attending school you need to weigh that up in you mind.

00deed1988 · 29/01/2022 18:42

Been to the cinema many times and the theatre with the kids and we have all been fine. Although I work directly with covid patients and have managed to escape so far. Kids don't wear a mask either. More at risk at school imo.

APurpleSquirrel · 29/01/2022 18:45

We've been to the cinema several times recently, mostly to childrens films & not caught it.

Biscuitsneeded · 29/01/2022 18:49

I've been to the theatre 8 times in the last 2 months. It's too important to me, and I want to support the industry. No Covid, but I was masked and am fully vaccinated. I did feel a bit cheesed off with people who took their masks off though - can they not go 2 hours without stuffing their faces? DS did get Covid before Christmas that he may have picked up at a show, but he was all over the place that week so he could have caught it anywhere. Bottom line; nobody can promise you your child won't catch Covid at the cinema, but if you're sending them into school they are no more at risk at the cinema and I do think we have to live. Take sensible precautions, yes - LFT first, wear a mask, respect other people's space - but don't make your child miss out on a cinema trip.

MistletoeMeadow · 29/01/2022 18:55

Are you/ someone in your household/ your child especially vulnerable to COVID? I think it would be wrong to disallow your child to go (if they want to) if you/ they aren’t vulnerable.

Snowisfalling33 · 29/01/2022 19:01

I've been to the cinema regularly throughout (whenever they were open obviously) never caught Covid there and it all felt safe and well organised.
It's obviously not risk free but honestly, in the grand scheme of things it won't be the riskiest thing she'll do.
Do you really want her to carry on giving up every trip and treat offered in the name of "safety" ?
We've had two years of this now.

blameitonthecaffeine · 29/01/2022 19:05

No way of being sure but yes, I'm fairly sure I caught Covid in the theatre. I was sitting next to a young woman with an obvious cold who kept telling her mum she felt ill and would probably enjoy the show more if she felt better. I tested positive 5 days later.

It's just the luck of the draw though. It hasn't put me off going. It's always possible you'll be sitting next to someone with Covid but never that likely. I've been several times since and been fine.

endoflevelbaddy · 29/01/2022 19:08

As restrictions have relaxed on and off over the last 18 mths or so we have been to:

  • the cinema multiple times
  • the theatre 3 times
  • bars & restaurants multiple times
  • attended indoor gigs & an outdoor festival
  • travelled to Italy
  • visited a theme park twice
  • attended business meeting & congresses in person
  • had 2 kids in school
  • used public transport occasionally

None of us have ever tested positive at any point and some of this was pre-vaccine. We might just have been incredibly lucky but I wouldn't be preventing my kids from enjoying anything else. They've missed out on enough.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 29/01/2022 19:16

We go to the cinema often and I've been to the theatre and panto this Christmas. We haven't caught Covid there. I have had Covid but I caught it at work, I'm 99.9% confident of that.

treeflowercat · 29/01/2022 19:22

You need to accept that your DD will almost certainly get Covid. It's deluded to think she won't.

She may get it at the cinema, she may get it at school (far, far more likely as presumably she's there every day, not just for a few hours!) Assuming you let her have any life outside the house until she leaves home, she may catch it anywhere.

Please stop this pointless and futile attempt to stop your daughter do normal childhood things.

WaystarRoycoCEO · 29/01/2022 19:24

We go to the cinema a lot. None of us have caught it from there. Modern multiplexes are huge well ventilated spaces.

As others have said, is your daughter not at school or pre school?

Here is a fairly recent government report also showing no increased risk of catching covid from going to the cinema.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1045002/S1470_Non_household_activities_covid_risk__1_.pdf

Againstmachine · 29/01/2022 19:35

I go to cinema at least once a week and not caught it. And that's all during when they have been allowed to open.

Buzzinwithbez · 29/01/2022 19:40

Who knows! I was not careful and didn't catch it from March 2020 to December, ...when I caught it..
In the day or two before, I went to two gigs and the cinema. It could have been any of those, but I've been to gigs and the cinema and restaurants and so on at any opportunity and didn't catch it previously.
So maybe i caught in on 1 out of about 9 cinema trips. Or two out of around a dozen gigs.

It's all a conundrum. I know so many Pele who have no idea where it came from. I could have cancelled so many plans when I wouldn't have caught in anyway and a more shitty 18 months.

I think it comes down to whether you need to keep life quite small until cases hopefully come down with the better weather or not.

southlondoner02 · 29/01/2022 19:41

I've been whenever the cinema has been open over the past 2 years. Not caught it.

Have had Covid twice- once caught it at work and once from my daughter who caught it at school

Purpletomato · 29/01/2022 19:55

I've been several times and haven't caught it. In the last few weeks I've seen Spiderman (packed, mainly masked), West Side Story (half full, half masked) and Belfast, packed, no masks.

MarshaBradyo · 29/01/2022 19:59

We’ve been a fair few times and haven’t caught it there

HariboMaroon · 29/01/2022 20:24

I went to the cinema last week and had covid but didn’t know about it at the time (I am boosted too).

My mask was off as I was eating popcorn.

Anyway why are you saying no to a cinema visit? Is your daughter severely immunocompromised? Does she go to school you are being way over the top.

Svara · 29/01/2022 20:40

Is your DC CEV? We went to the cinema a few weeks ago and didn't catch it. I last had covid March 2020 that I know of, DS may have had it before me. We've never tested positive.

Boosterquery · 29/01/2022 20:55

One way of improving the odds (assuming it's a cinema where you book specific seats) would be to book an aisle seat and sit your DD in that so that she's only sitting next to one person rather than two. I guess booking the back row would also improve the odds as no one would be breathing towards her.

gettingolderandgrumpy · 29/01/2022 20:59

The risk is greater at school !

Bobholll · 29/01/2022 21:22

Yes, several times & not caught it. I also went to 2 pantos at Christmas that I was pretty sure were covid extravaganzas, thousands of kids screaming & shouting for 2.5 hours & a sardine like scrum to exit the theatre.. none of us got covid anytime. I also go to softplay most weekends, which is probably pretty germy. Never got covid.

I have had it twice. Once from our removal men when moving house and once from a kids birthday party, which was an all class party. My kids didn’t get it from there & or school. Just me & 16 other parents 🙈

Frazzled2207 · 29/01/2022 22:19

Yabu to think it’s riskier than school. Much less risky IMO. Much more
air filtration going on, everyone facing same way.

OpalOwl · 29/01/2022 22:24

Been to the theatre 3 times and cinema twice, I'm a nursery nurse though in a large pre school, 60 unvaccinated 3 year olds a day.
I got it at work.....twice!

SummerBluez · 29/01/2022 22:24

Oh let her go!

Surely kids have missed out on enough now, let's give them their childhoods back.

I've been to the auditorium to see a panto and a cinema three times in the last 8 weeks, no covid for any of us. Even if we had it wouldn't put me off going again.

LouLou198 · 29/01/2022 22:45

Is she school age? School is full of unvaccinated, non mask wearing kids. We have been several times since they reopened, dc have loved it! No issues at all, I would let her go. Maybe you would feel better if she was sat at the end of the aisle?