Several cities have decided to play it safe by canceling the events, while others prefer to keep them under strict conditions.
What can the French expect on New Year’s Eve? While a new Defense Council is being held this Monday afternoon, the government could be called upon to take new restrictions for the evening of December 31. Among the hypotheses on the executive’s table, the possibility of a curfew, as was the case last year, but also the closure of bars and restaurants outside, an idea already mentioned at the last Council meeting. defense, but which had not been retained by the Head of State.
In order to avoid any risks and to stem the explosion of contaminations linked to the Omicron variant in the country, several very concrete measures have already been taken in France, such as the outright cancellation of the fireworks for the evening of 31 at the request of Prime Minister Jean Castex. The mayor of Paris has announced the cancellation of the traditional event, which is held on the Champs-Elysées.
And the French case does not seem unique. To date, several capitals and metropolises have already warned of the cancellation of the festivities. Conversely, other municipalities have announced the maintenance of gatherings, under drastic conditions. BFMTV takes stock.
• Reduced gauge and mask in New York
Each January 1, it is, traditionally, one of the images of the beginning of the year. To celebrate the transition to the New Year, tens of thousands of New Yorkers flock to Times Square to enjoy a giant party. An event which, although maintained, will welcome this year “only” 15,000 people against nearly 60,000 usually, said the office of Mayor Bill de Blasio, to CNN. In addition, visitors will not be allowed to enter the enclosure reserved for them before 3 p.m.
On site, participants will be subject to very strict health instructions, including the compulsory wearing of a mask and the presentation of an identity document with a photograph. They are also required to show proof of vaccination if they are 5 years of age or older.
“The holiday season this year may not be what we were hoping for, but we can still have a happy holiday season,” insisted the city’s health commissioner to the same media. , Dr. Dave A. Choksh. Last year, a virtual event had replaced the festivities.
• Fireworks maintained in Sydney
The Australian city, which is chronologically one of the first global metropolises to celebrate the transition to the new year, also wishes to mark the occasion despite the multiplication of cases of Covid-19 on the island.
As for the spectacular fireworks display which is held around the city’s opera house, this is maintained but also under certain conditions. This year, the event will be paying and the authorities are calling on people who do not have a ticket not to go to town. In addition, although encouraged on the official website of the city, vaccination is not currently mandatory to access one of the 24 points of view provided by the city.
Despite the precautions, local health professionals are worried about the fallout from the celebrations. “The number of hospitalizations increases by 50 per day, so we must maintain reasonable precautions”, declares to the Guardian Robert Booy, pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases at the University of Sydney.
• Festivities canceled in London
In recent weeks, the UK has been hit by a massive wave of new Omicron variant infections, which have prompted authorities to take further restrictive measures. Among them, the cancellation of the festivities planned in the British capital for the New Year, announced the Labor mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
“We will no longer be having this celebration of 6,500 people scheduled in Trafalgar Square on New Years Eve,” he announced. “It will be very disappointing for many Londoners, but we have to take the right steps to reduce the spread of the virus.”
Instead, “a spectacular show broadcast live” on the BBC, “celebrating our city and highlighting the highlights of 2021, will be the centerpiece of New Year’s Eve celebrations in London,” the statement said. town hall.
• Fireworks display canceled in Berlin, Munich or Frankfurt
Like the British, the German government has decided to strike hard as the end of the year holidays approach. As the new Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on December 21, new restrictions have been decided across the Rhine, including the ban on gatherings for the new year.
In fact, the fireworks traditionally organized in Berlin are canceled, as in other important cities of the country including Munich and Frankfurt. From December 28, in order to avoid large gatherings, only 10 vaccinated or cured people will be allowed to regroup in the private sphere for the festivities, and two non-vaccinated.
• Athens cancels its fireworks display at the Acropolis
Another highlight of New Year’s Eve is the fireworks organized at the Acropolis in Athens. Unfortunately for Greeks and fans of spectacular images, the event is canceled this year, Hellenic Minister of Health Thanos Plevris announced on 23 December.
In addition, from December 24, masks became mandatory in indoor and outdoor spaces.
• After having canceled them, Rio de Janeiro maintains the festivities
The Brazilian municipality does an about-face. After announcing the cancellation of all the festivities in early December, the latter reversed its decision and confirmed the holding of the celebrations.
“We want to celebrate the end of the year in a calm, safe and organized way. We met with the scientific committee, who confirmed that it would be safe to organize the city’s New Year celebrations in accordance with the arrangements presented by the government of the city, “said Mayor Eduardo Paes, in remarks echoed by CNN.
Thus, party animals are invited to stay close to home and avoid unnecessary travel.
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