Local cinemas are seeing a post-Covid resurgence, thanks largely to the release of James Bond film, No Time to Die.
The name of the film might be a sign of the times, but cinema staff at Browns Plains say they’re not yet prepared for the introduction of a vaccine mandate.
The state government announced last week that cinemas, along with a host of other entertainment venues, would only be allowed to accept patrons who were double vaccinated.
And all staff would be required to have jabs up to date if they wanted to work there.
At the cinema bar, the popcorn was hot, and the frozen coke machine was being worked over as people escaped the humidity outside.
Jolanta Levaai is in her fifth year working at Event Cinemas. For her well-oiled team, she said adjusting to the change will be a big step.
“We’re just basically waiting for the government announcement, but as of now, we’re not strict on the vaccine,” she said.
“The majority of us are vaccinated, however, we’re not prepared.”
Her team is waiting on the government to announce the protocol they will need to follow, which could consist of using a check-in device for recording and verifying vaccination statuses.
“But we’re going to need more staff,” she said.
Even though it was one of the smaller cinemas, she said more staff would be needed to keep pace with changes and to comply with the rules.
“It’s easy for kids to sneak in as well as adults, so it’s going to be hard for us,” Ms Levaai said.
Fans have waited six long years for Daniel Craig’s swan song as James Bond, counting down the days for its arrival on the big screen.
But the Covid countdown isn’t one Bond fan John McCollough is looking forward to.
Mr McCollough is double vaccinated, but he doesn’t like the idea of a mandate.
“I don’t believe that people should be forced to take it, end of story,” he said. “Democracy is at the centre of all this, so if a person doesn’t want to get vaccinated, they have their rights. Where does it end?”
Another cinema-goer Allyn Hughes said the need for vaccinations could not be clearer.
“I think people should be vaccinated to save people’s lives,” he said.
Fully vaccinated people will be able to go to entertainment venues, stadiums, theme parks and hospitality venues.
Unvaccinated people will be limited to grocery stores, pharmacies, newsagents, clothing stores, and able participate in exercise activities.
One of the grey areas is local sport.
“We are currently working through the details of the vaccine mandate and how it will apply across different settings,” a Queensland Health spokesperson told MyCity Logan on Friday.
“Unvaccinated people will be able to attend community sporting facilities. However, certain services within the club may be restricted to vaccinated people, for example, if there is a bar or restaurant within the club.”
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