Omicron dampens worldwide New Year celebrations, but London throws party on TV
(Reuters) - The Omicron coronavirus variant dampened New Year festivities around much of the world, as cities from Paris to Kuala Lumpur cancelled civic celebrations, but London threw a last-minute party on television and Cape Town suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew.
The midnight hour passed in Paris without a planned fireworks display or DJ sets, as city officials cancelled events planned on the ChampsElysees following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky.
Elsewhere around the globe, events were scaled back or cancelled outright, as with the traditional fireworks over the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur. In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdam's central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported.
But in London, where a fireworks display and light show had been cancelled in October, officials announced on Friday the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following a restoration.
"I'd encourage everyone to enjoy New Year's in a sensible and cautious way, and the best way to do so is by watching the London show on TV," London Mayor Sadiq Khan told Sky News ahead of the event.
BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators.
Earlier, Britain published a study of a million cases that found those with Omicron were around a third as likely to need hospitalisation as those with the previously dominant Delta variant.
The results were "in keeping with the encouraging signs we have already seen," said Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at the UK Health Security Agency.
Even so, many countries have reimposed restrictions to prevent healthcare systems from being overwhelmed.