At the movies in Kingston: Precautionary measures edition

In light of the recent spread of coronavirus COVID-19 and the ensuing precaution and preparedness for the virus, we couldn’t in good conscious suggest our readers continue going to the movies as usual.

At time of press, none of the local movie theatres have suspended showings to our knowledge, but what we do know is the information shared with us from the two major cinemas in Kingston. We will share that information with you here so you are aware of what these theatres are doing to deal with concerns over COVID-19.

Cineplex Odeon

The following is a letter from Ellis Jacob, President and CEO of Cineplex:

To our guests,

With growing global concerns around COVID-19 (“coronavirus”), I wanted to provide you with an update on our response to date and our commitment to you moving forward. The health, safety and well-being of our employees and guests is Cineplex’s top priority and we are following the lead of Canadian public health authorities at this important time. We are committed to providing comfortable and safe entertainment experiences at our theatre circuit and locations of The Rec Room and Playdium across the country.

First and foremost, I want to assure our guests that we are taking all appropriate measures to ensure our venues are safe and that we have existing plans and training protocols in place to ensure they stay that way. While the Public Health Agency of Canada has assessed the current public health risk associated with coronavirus as low, we continue to monitor for developments very closely

We have implemented additional measures to ensure your safety as well as the safety of our team, including:

• Introducing enhanced cleaning protocols in all of our locations, with particular focus on high traffic and high contact areas. Coronaviruses are easily eliminated by routine surface cleaning and the cleaning products we use are industrial-grade and food-service approved
• Increasing communications and reminders with our guests, partners and employees on important health and safety measures

To protect yourself and others, we ask that anyone who is feeling unwell refrain from visiting us so that together we can ensure a safe and comfortable experience for everyone. Know that we are doing our part by putting employment policies in place so that our hourly staff are protected and are not penalized financially if they need to stay home.

Again, we continue to monitor this situation closely and will provide ongoing updates as needed. We also encourage our guests to stay up-to-date through Canada’s Public Health website. Thank you and we look forward to welcoming you soon.

Landmark Cinemas

The following is a letter from Bill Walker, CEO of Landmark Cinemas Canada:

Dear valued Guests,

Landmark Cinemas has been closely monitoring the situation regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its potential implications to both its customers and staff. We continue to evaluate the situation and guidelines provided by local authorities and Health Canada on a regular basis and will always act in accordance with their expert advice.

Here are some examples of the actions taken: 

• We are reducing the number of maximum guests per auditorium by approximately half. Our reserved seating system has blocked every other loveseat recliner or conventional chair to dramatically increase personal space. 
• Increased the frequency of cleaning in common areas including theatre lobbies, door handles, counters & self-serve areas, auditoriums, restroom facilities and other high touch areas.
• Re-enforced strict adherence to the refill policy, requiring a new bag or cup for each refill. 
• Provided staff training specifically related to COVID-19 on handwashing best practices, sanitary standards, and safe work practices, requiring staff with any symptoms of any illness to remain at home. 

As always, it is our top priority to provide a relaxing and disruption free movie-going experience. We will take appropriate action to inform our customers via our main communication channels (through www.landmarkcinemas.com, our social media channels and/or email) in the event that the situation changes.

For customers who have purchased tickets online for movies that have been cancelled including A Quiet Place: Part II, F9 (The Fast and the Furious 9) or Mulan, your purchase will be automatically refunded. For all other refund inquiries, please visit landmarkcinemas.com/refunds.

If you do chose to go out to the movies or anywhere else this weekend, please follow KFL&A Public Health’s COVID-19 guidelines here to help prevent the spread of the virus and keep Kingston as healthy as possible.