BETHEL — The Gem Theater has kept its proof of vaccination mandate policy released on Dec. 23, 2021.
“Due to the sharp increase in COVID cases and the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, we will be requiring proof of vaccination for all movies and events at the Gem,” the theater announced at the time. “We appreciate your continued support as we work hard to balance profitability and community health.”
Bethany Weisberger, co-owner of the theater, explained the company’s policy by saying, “We don’t want more people to be sick. It’s the only responsible thing to do to prevent risk to the community.” She didn’t say whether the policy has prohibited any customers from entering the theater.
She noted the policy has been in place for live shows at the Gem for over a year. “We updated the movie policy to match the live performance policy which is standard across the country.”
She said movie theaters require the mandate “because theaters have fixed seats. It’s not like a restaurant where you can make room.”
Wade Kavanaugh, co-owner, said, “We’re less busy than we were before the pandemic, that much is clear, although it’s hard to separate whether business being off from pre-pandemic numbers is correlated by our COVID-19 policy.
“Without widespread vaccination, COVID-19 will continue to spread unabated through our community. The virus is transmitted by small droplets in the air. The Gem, which is inherently a gathering place, would become a place where COVID-19 is spread. We don’t want to be that place. By requiring vaccination, we are making a firm statement that we believe vaccination is the only way that our community can slow the spread of the disease.”
Town and county administrators support the policy. Loretta Powers, Bethel’s town manager, said, “It’s their own business, it’s their choice.”
Echoing Powers, Oxford County Commissioner David Duguay said, “It’s a private business, it’s their prerogative.”
He said says the county doesn’t require vaccines but it encourages vaccinations at the county office. “I’m vaccinated and boosted but others have the right to decline vaccinations for religious and medical reasons.”
Powers was unaware of the vaccination rate of Bethel citizens.
Kavanaugh said the policy is also important to the Gem’s staff. “Our staff is on the frontline and at the highest risk of contracting COVID-19 while at The Gem. Their risk is far higher than that of a patron, they spend the most time in the space. The decision to require proof of vaccination is a strong statement to our staff that we prioritize their health and that we cannot stay open unless they are healthy and able to work.”
Many theaters across the country instituted vaccination mandates beginning last year.
“In an uncertain time, vaccine mandates for eligible moviegoers might be the only way to salvage the long-term future of the cinema,” wrote David Sims in The Atlantic. “A vaccine requirement would be a gift for an industry looking to distinguish itself on a national scale as a safe social experience. The arrival of vaccines was what brought theaters back in early 2021, and mandates would help cement that sense of sanctuary.”
“Universal vaccination is the only way to get this virus under control,” Kavanaugh said. “By requiring proof of vaccination, we are making a strong statement that as a business we believe in science and that following science is the only path we see toward a viable, sustainable and profitable future.”
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