US epidemic expert "The theater could be reopened in the fall"

▲ Anthony Pouch vaccination, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Anthony Pouch, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the nation's top infectious disease expert, gave a promising prospect that the Broadway theater could reopen this fall.

Director Pouch attended a virtual conference hosted by the American Performing Artists Association, and said, "We expect theaters and other venues to open sometime this fall."

The reopening schedule of theaters, which are closed for nearly a year due to the Corona 19 pandemic, depends on the timing of achieving group immunity, and that that will be the time when 70-85% of the US population will finish vaccination, Pouch added.

According to Pouch's analysis, theaters with excellent ventilation facilities and air filters will be able to perform in the fall if the vaccine is successfully distributed.

Nevertheless, he emphasized that the so-called'new summit', which is obligated for audiences to wear masks, will continue for a certain period of time.

He also suggested that just as US airlines have recently mandated the submission of negative Corona 19 confirmations, the performance industry may need to do the same.

The arts scene in the United States, including the Broadway Theater District in New York, is facing an unprecedented crisis due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

41 Broadway theaters have been shut down since March 12, last year, at the beginning of the pandemic, and the move is expected to continue until the end of May.

AFTA, an American culture and arts sponsoring organization, said through its own survey analysis that the US culture and arts industry lost $14.8 billion, or about 16 trillion won, that more than one-third of non-profit culture and arts organizations fired employees and took unpaid leave.

(Photo = Getty Image Korea)