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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:
MehMahMoo · 29/01/2022 22:50

We believe our 15 year old caught it when seeing Spider-Man the week before Christmas - it was very busy she says.

Peanutssuck · 29/01/2022 23:15

You're DD needs normality after 2 years of this shit. All kids do. Let her go

DoucheCanoe · 29/01/2022 23:23

We've been to our local independent cinema 3x since October and never caught COVID.

I'm in Scotland so it may be different but we book seats, groups are at least 2 seats apart and every second row is empty. We also wear masks unless seated.

We need to get some sort of normality back, especially for the kids. Let her go!

ExcaliburBaby · 30/01/2022 04:30

I’ve been very risk adverse but have been the cinema throughout as a family/couple/solo and had no issues. Must have been 20 times at least

Also went the theatre 3 times in autumn/winter with no issues.

Cinema in particular is great as you can pick a quieter showing/ sit away from other groups. We saw Scream on Friday night and must not have had anyone within at least 10metres of us!

Ask them to sit on the back row if it makes you feel better.

I’ve got 4 theatre trips booked for the next few months - I’ll wear a decent mask

ILookAtTheFloor · 30/01/2022 08:28

Went to a cinema and a West End production over the Xmas period when covid was rampant in the capital. Went on the Tube as well.

None of us caught it. I didn't bother with a mask aside from the Tube. No distancing whatsoever.

GiantSpider · 30/01/2022 08:32

I went to the panto before Christmas when rates were very high around here and didn't catch it.

MrsEricBana · 30/01/2022 08:38

I'm 100% sure I caught it when I went to see the Bond film and Track & Trace agreed BUT I would still let a school goer go as their daily risk is probably high anyway.

Trisolaris · 30/01/2022 08:40

I go to the theatre in London all the time including during peak Omicron - haven’t had it.

Smartiepants79 · 30/01/2022 08:41

If she’s going to school every day then the cinema really isn’t a risk to be worrying about.
I’ve been in 3 cinemas and 2 theatres in the last 6 months. No covid.

Cratos · 30/01/2022 08:47

Staying away from crowded places is a good strategy to protect vulnerable people for a bit longer. Infection and death rates are still high. If we all did the same and be more patient we wouldn't need to ask this question today. I would recommend mask wearing if you go.

Cherryblossoms85 · 30/01/2022 08:52

We've been a few times with the kids. Nobody caught it. They've now all got COVID from school.

WeddingBella · 30/01/2022 08:54

I would let her go.
I've been to the cinema twice in the last 2 weeks, once with 4yo niece and once with 11 yo nephew (Encanto & Spider-Man).

Here (Wales) they spaced everyone out so when you booked tickets, the 2 seats on either side of you were blocked out so no one could sit there.

Just before Christmas I also went to the theatre twice, once in Wales and once in London (plus train to London and using the tube).

I wore a mask for a lot of the travel and through the shows but was definitely in the minority. I haven't had Covid.

Im2022 · 30/01/2022 08:56

Cinemas are safe. Been a few times during first infections Feb 2020, summer 2020, then summer/winter 2021.

School is where we’ve all caught it from this week. Ducking school. If you can avoid a school, would be handy.

SummerBluez · 30/01/2022 09:19

@Cratos
We've been "patient" enough. People like you are the problem.

Doggoo · 30/01/2022 09:24

Weve been to 3 theatre shows and 3 cinema trips in the last 2 months and not caught covid. Let her go.

treeflowercat · 30/01/2022 09:27

@Cratos

Staying away from crowded places is a good strategy to protect vulnerable people for a bit longer. Infection and death rates are still high. If we all did the same and be more patient we wouldn't need to ask this question today. I would recommend mask wearing if you go.
It doesn't really do anything except place the entertainment sector under even more strain, and restrict our lives yet further.

All the infections that would have happened sooner just get delayed until we choose to frequent cinemas etc. (at which point you'd presumably call for us to all stay home again!)

Lindy2 · 30/01/2022 09:30

I've been to the cinema and it actually felt quite safe. It's a fairly spacious, new cinema with good air circulation. I'd go again without too much worry although my area is practically topping the UK infection rate right now so we're stepping up our caution levels again until things settle back a bit more locally.

treeflowercat · 30/01/2022 09:34

@Im2022

Cinemas are safe. Been a few times during first infections Feb 2020, summer 2020, then summer/winter 2021.

School is where we’ve all caught it from this week. Ducking school. If you can avoid a school, would be handy.

I don't like the whole "Covid safe" mentality. It implies there's no risk.

There is a risk of catching Covid when you go to the cinema - it may be lower than at school and higher than being in a park, but there's a risk.

We need to be comfortable with accepting some degree of risk in our lives, and that nothing is ever truly "safe". It's this attempt to be "safe" that has driven much of the excessive and damaging caution that some people still have of "doing everything we can to stop Covid". We're past that now - we need to accept that we may well catch Covid if we go to the cinema... the risk is low, but it's there nonetheless, but risk is a natural part of life.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 30/01/2022 09:35

@Cratos

Staying away from crowded places is a good strategy to protect vulnerable people for a bit longer. Infection and death rates are still high. If we all did the same and be more patient we wouldn't need to ask this question today. I would recommend mask wearing if you go.
Yeah, never mind the people who rely on those places for income.

We are not under any restrictions any more so people can live as they see fit.

Cratos · 30/01/2022 10:03

Priority has to be to protect NHS and its staff, our teaching staff and our vulnerable people. Kids have to go to school of course but trying to keep the school safe by not bringing unnecessary risk by being cautious is our responsibility. Infection and death rates are still high. If you feel comfortable with what you do that is up to you. I am choosing to care about others and I am choosing not be selfish. That is why I will continue to wear my mask even if I go to an indoor venue. I also missed going to cinemas, clubs and restaurants. But if we stop being cautious now those venues will suffer more again in the near future.

Salamander91 · 30/01/2022 10:10

My DS tested positive a few days after going to the cinema but no one else he went with did so I think it's more likely he got it from school. I would let her go assuming you aren't worried about passing it to a CEV family member or friend? She's more likely to get it from school.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 30/01/2022 10:23

@Cratos

Priority has to be to protect NHS and its staff, our teaching staff and our vulnerable people. Kids have to go to school of course but trying to keep the school safe by not bringing unnecessary risk by being cautious is our responsibility. Infection and death rates are still high. If you feel comfortable with what you do that is up to you. I am choosing to care about others and I am choosing not be selfish. That is why I will continue to wear my mask even if I go to an indoor venue. I also missed going to cinemas, clubs and restaurants. But if we stop being cautious now those venues will suffer more again in the near future.
You don't care about others. You care about a certain section of society. What you are suggesting means other people will suffer too. You don't care about them. So don't act like you're morally superior.
LawnFever · 30/01/2022 10:24

I’ve been to the cinema a few times in a covid world, never caught covid, never heard of anyone catching it at a cinema.

How’s it any different from being with a load of unvaccinated kids at school?

LawnFever · 30/01/2022 10:27

@Cratos

Priority has to be to protect NHS and its staff, our teaching staff and our vulnerable people. Kids have to go to school of course but trying to keep the school safe by not bringing unnecessary risk by being cautious is our responsibility. Infection and death rates are still high. If you feel comfortable with what you do that is up to you. I am choosing to care about others and I am choosing not be selfish. That is why I will continue to wear my mask even if I go to an indoor venue. I also missed going to cinemas, clubs and restaurants. But if we stop being cautious now those venues will suffer more again in the near future.
And what about the staff that work in cinemas and other businesses that rely on customers returning and spending money?

We need to get on with life now, if you want to live a restricted life forever then that’s your choice but don’t use it to suggest others are selfish.

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