There’s Some Big Changes Happening For The New Year’s Eve Celebration In Times Square
The famous celebration that brings thousands of individuals together in one city to celebrate the new year is limiting their party favors.
The big apple’s iconic New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square is adding additional safety measures as the fast spreading Omicron virus variant are increasing statewide, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio.
“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 in a statement.
Mayor Bill de Blasio
Rather than the usual crowd of nearly 60,00 fresh faces, only 15,000 will be able to surround to see the ball drop.
Visitors who choose to celebrate will need to be fully vaccinated, masked and while those who are unable to get poked due to disabilities will be asked to show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the celebration.
Any unvaccinated minors who ring in the new year must be accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult.
Visitors can start lining up beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time, which according to the mayor’s office is a considerably later time compared to previous party years.
“New York is the best place in the world to celebrate New Year’s Eve and now it will be one of the safest against COVID as well,” Mayor-elect Eric Adams said in a statement. “The Mayor has made the right move to take precautionary measures as we learn to live with COVID and fight the Omicron variant—and New Yorkers and visitors alike can now enjoy Times Square and the rest of our city as we ring in 2022.”
The updated guidelines are in accordance with record number Covid-19 cases statewide which show an 8.6% positive test rate over the past seven days with more than 28,900 positive tests on just Tuesday alone, the state reported.
So if you prefer to party in NYC for New Year’s Eve you have to be vaccinated first and remember to bring that mask.