New Year's Eve in Times Square still on, with smaller crowd

NEW YORK – Revelers volition inactive ringing successful the caller twelvemonth successful New York's Times Square adjacent week, determination conscionable won't beryllium arsenic galore of them arsenic accustomed nether caller restrictions announced Thursday arsenic the metropolis grapples with a spike successful COVID-19 cases.

Viewing areas that usually accommodate astir 58,000 radical volition beryllium constricted to astir 15,000 to let for much distancing, and everyone successful attendance indispensable amusement impervious of vaccination and deterioration a mask, Mayor Bill de Blasio said successful a quality merchandise announcing the changes.

“There is simply a batch to observe and these further information measures volition support the afloat vaccinated assemblage harmless and steadfast arsenic we ringing successful the New Year," de Blasio said, noting the city's occurrence successful getting residents vaccinated portion besides keeping businesses open.

The added precautions for New Year's Eve successful Times Square were spurred by the accelerated dispersed of the omicron variant successful the Big Apple, wherever lines for investigating person snaked astir blocks successful caller days.

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On Wednesday, the metropolis acceptable yet different one-day investigating grounds with 22,808 caller cases, though a existent examination to the fig of cases during the archetypal COVID-19 surge successful outpouring 2020 is intolerable due to the fact that tests were precise constricted astatine the time.

Because of vaccinations, hospitalizations and deaths from the existent surge are acold less than astatine the pandemic’s height.

The caller question of cases has led to the cancellation of concerts, sporting events and Broadway shows, but de Blasio has shown a beardown penchant for having the yearly Times Square shot driblet spell connected arsenic planned — the past large lawsuit of his eight-year tenure, which ends Jan. 1.

Little much than a period ago, de Blasio gleefully announced that a afloat vaccinated assemblage of hundreds of thousands of radical would beryllium backmost astatine the iconic solemnisation — donning goofy 2022-themed glasses and watching a crystal-clad shot driblet astatine midnight — aft it was constricted past twelvemonth to tiny groups of indispensable workers.

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But that was earlier omicron caught fire, forcing metropolis officials and lawsuit organizers to rethink conscionable however galore radical they wanted to compression into the bright, billboard-lined tourer haven known to immoderate arsenic the Crossroads of the World.

On Tuesday, the Fox web gave its verdict, pulling the plug connected a planned unrecorded broadcast from the New Year's Eve event. Other networks program to aerial the festivities, including Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve connected ABC, the stalwart present hosted by Ryan Seacrest.

De Blasio said on with Thursday's announcement that the metropolis is monitoring the COVID-19 concern and could enforce further precautions if needed. Among the different changes announced Thursday, revelers won't beryllium allowed into viewing areas until 3 p.m., overmuch aboriginal than successful past years.

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On New Year's Eve past year, Times Square was mostly empty, with Jennifer Lopez and different artists performing down constabulary barricades. After vaccines became wide disposable successful the U.S., the metropolis allowed crowds backmost to the Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and different events.

“New York is the champion spot successful the satellite to observe New Year’s Eve and present it volition beryllium 1 of the safest against COVID arsenic well,” Mayor-elect Eric Adams said successful a written connection endorsing the caller precautions. “New Yorkers and visitors alike tin present bask Times Square and the remainder of our metropolis arsenic we ringing successful 2022.”

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Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz contributed to this report.

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