New York scales back Times Square New Year’s Eve party amid Omicron coronavirus surge
- Viewing areas that normally accommodate about 58,000 people will be limited to about 15,000, and revellers must be vaccinated and masked
- The Big Apple saw a Covid-19 record earlier this week with 17,200 new cases recorded in one day
Revellers will still ring in the new year in New York’s Times Square next week, there just will not be as many of them as usual under new restrictions announced on Thursday as the city grapples with a spike in Covid-19 cases.
Viewing areas that normally accommodate about 58,000 people will be limited to about 15,000 to allow for more distancing, and everyone must show proof of vaccination and wear a mask, Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a news release announcing the changes.
“There is a lot to celebrate and these additional safety measures will keep the fully vaccinated crowd safe and healthy as we ring in the New Year,” de Blasio said, noting the city’s success in getting residents vaccinated while also keeping businesses open.
The added precautions for New Year’s Eve in Times Square were spurred by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in the Big Apple, where lines for testing have snaked around blocks in recent days.
On Tuesday, the city set a one-day record with 17,200 new cases, though a true comparison to the number of cases during the initial Covid-19 surge in spring 2020 is impossible because tests were very limited at the time.
Because of vaccinations, hospitalisations and deaths from the current surge are far fewer than at the pandemic’s height.
