NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (US): New York City braced to embrace the New Year — and the misfortune of another pandemic that has marred its 12 months — with its annual New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square, after a public event was abandoned. last year.
It did so as an unstable country tried to garner optimism that the worst days of the pandemic are now over — even as public health officials warned Friday of wild festivities amid a spike in omicron-variable COVID-19 infections, the AP reports.
The year went around the world, time zone by time zone, and thousands of New Year’s revelers stood side by side in a slightly cooler waiting for the festivities.
In Times Square, throngs of blocks stretched to immerse themselves in the tiered celebration, with many traveling from afar to participate. Confetti lit up from electronic billboards in a light gust of wind on a balmy winter’s night in New York City.
Mary Gonzalez stood a few feet behind a crowd, wanting to keep her away from anyone who inadvertently carried the virus.
“I’m glad 2021 is over because it’s causing a lot of problems for everyone,” said Gonzalez, who was on a visit from Mexico City and wanted to take on an American tradition. “Hopefully 2022 will be much better than this year.”
The annual ball drop occurs as the clock approaches midnight and the start of the new year, an occasion usually celebrated with champagne, sparkling pints, happy hugs and hopes for better times to come.
Times Square is often referred to as the crossroads of the world, and city officials insisted that a New Year’s Eve event be held to show the city’s resilience even amid the resurgence of the coronavirus.
However, the city said it would limit the number of people it allowed into Times Square to watch a 6-ton ball, studded with nearly 2,700 Waterford crystals, descend above a crowd of about 15,000 in person — far fewer than a dozen. It’s the thousands of revelers who usually descend on the world-famous plaza to enjoy the lights, fawning, and shower of confetti during the country’s New Year’s Eve party.
But 2022 begins just as it did the year before – as the pandemic clouds an already uncertain future.
Doubts have arisen over whether the city will have to cancel this year’s party, with the city setting record numbers of COVID-19 cases in the days leading up to it, even as cities like Atlanta have decided to cancel their festivities.
Last year’s ball drop was closed to the public due to the pandemic.
Cases of COVID-19 in the United States have risen to an all-time high of more than 265,000 cases per day on average. New York City reported a record number of confirmed new cases — about 44,000 — on Wednesday and a similar number on Thursday, according to New York state numbers.
But Mayor Bill de Blasio, who will relinquish oversight of the nation’s most populous city by midnight, said the festivities in Times Square “will show the world that New York City is struggling our way through this.”
Officials said attendees will have to wear masks and show proof of vaccination. Organizers had initially hoped that more than 50,000 revelers would be able to join, but plans were drastically curtailed due to the spread of infection.
Rapper and actor LL Cool J was supposed to be among the performers who took to the stage in Times Square Friday night, but announced he was pulling out of the event because he tested positive for the COVID virus.
New York City’s next mayor, Eric Adams, is scheduled to be sworn in in Times Square shortly after the ball is dropped. He had appeared briefly earlier on the main stage to underscore the city’s resilience.
“It’s great when New York is showing the whole country how we’re going back,” he said. “We showed the whole world what we’re made of. We don’t believe. This is an incredible city, and believe me, we’re ready for a big comeback because this is New York.”
This optimistic feeling was common to ordinary people.
“I look back and see it’s been a stressful year, but it hasn’t been a terrible year,” said Lynn Cavarchio, who braved the crowds to attend the festivities with her husband Pete.
As a New York City tour guide, she has been out of work for a while as the economy shut down and tourism crashed.
“We’re standing here happy that 2021 is coming to an end soon, but he’s really positive about the year ahead,” she said.
Even if the crowds were much smaller, people would gather across building after building to watch the ball fall.
Nursing student Ashley Ochoa and her boyfriend, Jose Avilar, traveled from California’s Central Valley specifically to be in Times Square.
“COVID has taken back a lot of things for me, but I mean, I’m here today, and that’s what I’m grateful for,” Ochoa said.