Covid-19: A quiet countdown this year, global cities to scale back New Year’s eve parties

Sydney (Dec 28): Amidst of the Covid-19 pandemic, major global cities are opting to scale back New Year’s Eve celebrations to curb the spread of the contagious disease, reported foreign wires.

According to Bloomberg’s report, while the seven-minute fireworks display over the Sydney Opera House and iconic harbor bridge will go ahead, New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged people to stay home and watch the display on television.

The authorities only allowed outdoor gatherings of not more than 50 people and only ticketed events organised by local councils were allowed to proceed. People without special permits must stay away from the usual prime viewing spots around the city and harbor.

In London, the United Kingdom, the city mayor Sadiq Khan told people to stay at home, reported Sky News.

The annual fireworks display on the Thames, around the London Eye, was cancelled in September. There will be no other public gatherings in the capital.

Meanwhile, another iconic celebration in New York - the Times Square Ball Drop, which has attracted hundreds of thousands of public, will still continue with “extremely limited” groups of people and strict social distancing rules applied.

For the public who don't have the permit to join, they could only watch the annual event on TV.

In France, the government has imposed an 8pm curfew for the holiday season and this will not be lifted for New Year's Eve.

However, the public could enjoy the performance of the famous composer and performer Jean-Michel Jarre online. The performer's avatar will play a set from inside a virtual Notre Dame Cathedral while he himself performs it live at a nearby studio in the city.

Tokyo also called off several large countdown events, including the popular Shibuya Scramble Crossing party, after seeing the spiking number of Covid-19 cases.

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