Reuters/Jeenah Moon A new coronavirus type could jeopardize a continuous increase in box office receipts. Since March, the domestic box office has been on the rise, with last weekend’s ticket sales reaching $98.7 million, a new high for the epidemic era. This weekend, almost 80% of movie theaters will be available to the public, and mask requirements for people who have received the coronavirus vaccine have been relaxed. Studios have been confident in releasing large blockbuster films since cinemas have continued to reopen and Covid instances have reduced. With a $70 million opening weekend, Universal’s “F9” set a new record for any picture released during the epidemic, bringing the total weekend haul to $98.7 million, a new best for the industry. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half of the US population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, which has resulted in a significant reduction in Covid-related mortality. In recent weeks, the number of new cases has dropped dramatically and is still well below its high. However, public health officials are keeping a close eye on the development of the extremely contagious delta form in regions with poor vaccination rates, which has resulted in an uptick in cases recently. The fear is that an increase in delta variant instances may result in a resurgence of health and safety restrictions, not only in the United States, but around the world, discouraging viewers from going to the movies. Cities such as Los Angeles have already reversed mask recommendations, advising both unvaccinated and vaccinated persons to wear masks inside public venues such as restaurants, stores, and movie theaters. According to CNBC, movie theater chains have stated that they will continue to follow all local regulations. “Every state is easing their mask policies,” said Eric Handler, a media and entertainment analyst at MKM Partners. “If there is a flare up, a lot of firms may be hurt.” “I’m hoping the immunizations will help us fight it off enough that it won’t be a serious problem.” According to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, the United States has a high immunization rate, and its highly effective vaccines have allowed it to relax mask requirements and societal barriers. In comparison, much of the world is still unvaccinated, and research suggests that vaccinations created outside of the United States are ineffective. “The worldwide picture is also crucial, as studios and exhibitors are keeping a careful eye on key international regions and how their varying vaccination distributions play out in the second half of the year,” said Shawn Robbins, Boxoffice.com’s chief analyst. New lockdown measures have been enacted in several nations where the delta variation is gaining traction. The delta variant accounts for around 25% of newly sequenced cases in the United States, and officials predict it will become the prevalent strain in the country. According to the CDC, delta variant rates are as high as 50% in some counties. The US government is concerned about low immunization rates in several areas of the country. According to Walensky, around 1,000 counties in the United States have vaccination coverage of less than 30%. According to her, these counties are largely in the Southeast and Midwest, and they are the most vulnerable to Covid infection. Due to the emergence of the more transmissible delta strain, the CDC is already observing rising illness rates in these counties. “For quite some time, the movie business, like many others, has factored in different scenarios similar to the current one as part of reopening plans, and nothing is taken for granted,” Robbins added. “At this moment, however, there is no indication of an impending impact on domestic theaters as long as vaccinated people are protected, as health experts have widely reported.” — Rich Mendez of CNBC contributed to this article. Disclosure: NBCUniversal and CNBC are both owned by Comcast. “F9” is distributed by NBCUniversal./n
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