Italy to shut theatres again as Europe witnesses second wave of COVID-19

As the second wave of coronavirus hit Europe, several cinema theatres are re-shuttered to curbthe virus spread in Italy. The theatres which reopened in June while adhering to all the safety and precautionary norms are set to close down once again. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte responded to a spike in COVID-19 infection and announced that cinemas along with living theaters, discos, and gaming halls, will be forced to shut down once again. 

Italy to re-shut down theatres due to the second wave of COVID-19

The government hopes the partial-shutdown will curb the infection rate and avoid the necessity of another total lockdown. Italy also introduced a new curfew for bars and restaurants, which will have to stop service after 6 pm. Apart from Italy, other countries like Spain and France have introduced curfews as COVID-19 numbers spike. Spain has also introduced a nationwide curfew starting from 11 pm to 6 am.

Read: Ireland Leads 6 Nations After Dispatching Italy 50-17

Read: Prabhas Rings In 41st Birthday With 'Radhe Shyam' Team In Italy

France last week extended a 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in several regions, including Paris. Apart from Europe, the United Kingdom has exempted theatres from the curfew rule since it will only apply to films that start after 10 pm, not for screenings that begin before then and extend after the curfew, as per The Hollywood Reporter.

Theatres reopened in Italy on 15 June with social distancing rules in place. According to the International media outlet, the Italian cinemas have been struggling, partly because of a lack of big Hollywood films. Last weekend's top grossing Italian films were romantic drama Sul Più Bello, Gerard Butler's Greenland, and Pietro Castellitto's Venice prizewinner The Predators. The country was among the first to bounce back from the devastation caused by the virus, even hosting a hybrid Venice Film Festival in September. 

Read: Theatres Opens After Seven Months In COVID-19 Shadow

Read: Italy Closes Gyms, Shuts Eateries Early To Fight COVID-19

(Image credit: PTI)