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People are preparing for a second Christmas with a pandemic

Billions of people around the world are preparing to celebrate Christmas today, which was overshadowed this year by the outbreak of the new coronavirus strain Omicron, which imposes many restrictions on family reunions during the holidays.

For the second year in a row, the outbreak of the new coronavirus puts ice on the festive plans, from Sydney to Seville.

In Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, according to Christian tradition, the hotel sector, which was expecting an influx of tourists, shows its frustration. After an almost total quarantine last year, Israel closed its borders again.

As in 2020, the service, which takes place at midnight, will be able to attend a small circle of believers, only by invitation.

The traditional Christmas procession under the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbatista Pitsabala is expected to attract more people than last year thanks to more flexible restrictive measures.

At the Vatican, Pope Francis will perform the traditional Christmas service at 19:30 local time (20:30 Greek time) at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. On Christmas day, the traditional blessing Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the universe) of the Argentine pope in St. Peter’s Square is expected.

Elsewhere in the world, although the Netherlands is in Lockdown, Broadway has canceled Christmas shows and Spain has reinstated mandatory masking outdoors, where rallies are generally expected to be easier than last year.

Millions of Americans are preparing to travel to their home country, even though the Omicron variant is already surpassing the Delta variant at its peak, and hospitals are experiencing bed shortages.

The journey, however, may prove complicated for some of them, as United Airlines, one of the main US airlines, announced the cancellation of 120 flights as its available staff shrinks due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus pandemic.

A nugget of hope

Most Australians can travel within the country again, for the first time since the pandemic broke out, which has strengthened the Christmas spirit in Australia, which is facing a record number of cases.

“We are all witnessing moving scenes of people being reunited at airports after months away,” Sydney Catholic Archbishop Anthony Fisher said in a Christmas message.

“In such a bleak time, Christmas is a ray of sunshine, a glimmer of hope.”

At the same time for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a vaccination certificate would be the best gift under the Christmas tree.

Although the time to buy gifts is theoretically running out, there is still one amazing thing you can offer your family and the whole country, and that is to make this installment, whether it is your first, your second “or for your souvenir, so that next year’s holidays are even better than this year,” he said.

In Moscow, amid tensions with Western countries over Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin asked Dent Moroz (the Russian version of Santa Claus) to help Russia carry out its plans.

“I hope he not only brings us gifts, but also makes the plans of the country and every citizen a reality,” said the Russian president.

Following the hopes for freedom brought about by the COVID-19 vaccines, the appearance of the highly contagious strain Omicron cast its shadow over the festive atmosphere in households.

However, the closure of borders and restrictive measures will not stand in the way of a famous sleigh dragged by reindeer across the globe, as Canadian airspace will be open to it after the presentation of a vaccination certificate and a negative test for the new coronavirus.

This assurance was given by the Ottawa Minister of Transportation, giving the green light to his crew, even to Rudolph, “whose nose may have shone brightly, (but) it was confirmed that he had no symptoms of COVID-19 before leaving”.

The same is true in Australia: “Our air traffic controllers will guide Santa Claus safely to Australian airspace, using our tracking technology twice a second,” the Aviation Safety Authority said in a statement.

“He is allowed to fly at 500 feet (152.4 meters) so that he can reach the rooftops and deliver his gifts quickly and secretly. Besides, his magic sleigh is not an ordinary plane.”

Source: AMPE

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Source From: Capital

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