Staff members disinfect the seats at a movie theater in Shanghai, east China, July 19, 2020. [Xinhua/Ren Long]

BEIJING, July 20 (Xinhua) — Chinese movie theaters in low-risk areas have been allowed to resume operation starting from July 20 following an improvement in the COVID-19 epidemic situation.

These movie theaters should reopen on the premise that proper prevention and control measures have been put into place, the China Film Administration said in a circular, noting that cinemas should suspend their operation once their localities are adjusted to be medium- or high-risk areas.

Attendance per show must not exceed 30 percent. Cinemas are required to sell non-adjacent tickets in every other row, and moviegoers who are strangers to each other should keep a distance of at least one meter.

All moviegoers must make real-name reservations and purchase tickets online.

A staff member disinfects the stairs at a movie theater in Handan, north China's Hebei Province, July 19, 2020. [Photo by Hao Qunying/Xinhua]

Staff members disinfect the handrails at a movie theater in Zunhua, north China's Hebei Province, July 19, 2020. [Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua]

A staff member disinfects the handrail at a movie theater in Zunhua, north China's Hebei Province, July 19, 2020. [Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua]

A staff member disinfects the corridor at a movie theater in Handan, north China's Hebei Province, July 19, 2020. [Photo by Hao Qunying/Xinhua]

(Source: Xinhua)