The coronavirus Omicron variant spoiled New Year’s celebrations in much of the world, with Paris canceling the fireworks show, London televising it and New York City limiting celebrations with its famous fall in Times Square.
The illuminated Waterford crystal ball rolled into Times Square at midnight, but only 15,000 spectators were allowed in the area where they could watch the spectacle, instead of the usual 58,000.
A year ago, the vaccines, which had just become available, offered hope that the COVID-19 pandemic could be brought under control by early 2022. Instead, the emergence of Omicron led to a sharp rise in infections in Worldwide.
New York City recorded a record 44,000 infections on Wednesday and another 43,000 on Thursday, making some wonder if the celebrations should proceed properly.
But officials have decided that an outdoor party for the vaccinated, with masks and distance keeping, would be safe and a better choice than virtually no audience celebrations in 2021.
“I would be lying if I said I was not worried,” said Sue Park, a Columbia University student, one of 15,000 people allowed to attend for life. “I definitely think it’s worth coming and celebrating. It will make more sense in the crowd.”
Elsewhere in the world, events have been reduced or canceled, such as traditional fireworks at the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
The midnight was spent in Paris without the scheduled fireworks display or with music by a DJ on the Champs Elysees, according to the recommendations of the scientific committee that ruled that the mass gatherings would be very risky.
In the Netherlands, where gatherings are forbidden over four people outdoors, the police dismantled thousands of people who had defeated the ban and were concentrated on Amsterdam’s Central Square, the Anp News Agency.
But in London, where a fireworks display and a light show were canceled in October, officials said Friday that the spectacle would come to life on television as Bin Ben sounded for the first time since 2017 after it was renovated.
Footage broadcast by the BBC of the fireworks showed minimal vehicle traffic on the streets and virtually no live spectators.
Hours earlier, Sydney, Australia, celebrated New Year’s Eve with spectacular fireworks in the harbor above the Opera House.
People in Madrid lined up for hours to enter the main square of Puerta del Sol where the celebrations took place in the presence of several security checkpoints, mandatory mask use and a capacity of 60%.
Saul Pedrero, a 34-year-old employee, came from Barcelona, which has some of the strictest controls in Spain, including a curfew from 1.00 am.
“It looks like another country. Here you can do anything and nobody says anything,” he said.
A lavish fireworks display lit up the festivities where the Spaniards fill their mouths with 12 grapes to accompany every clock tick at midnight.
In Asia, celebrations have been cut short or canceled. In South Korea, a traditional midnight bell ceremony was canceled for the second year in a row, as celebrations were canceled in Tokyo’s glamorous Shibuya’s entertainment district, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishinda called on YouTube to allow people to wear masks and wear masks.
China, where the coronavirus first appeared in late 2019, was on high alert, with the city of Xi’an in a lockdown while New Year’s Eve events in other cities were canceled.
Source: AMPE
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Source From: Capital
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