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Mayor Bill de Blasio at a news conference last week in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. He announced on Thursday that the Times Square celebration would go on, but with far fewer spectators.Credit…Dave Sanders for The New York Times
New York City will scale back the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration as the Omicron variant spreads, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday, the same day New York state reported its highest recorded daily coronavirus case total ever.
The mayor added that officials were still monitoring the situation and could take additional precautions in the coming days, if needed.
As of now, attendees will be required to show proof of full vaccination and wear masks. Fewer people — 15,000, instead of the usual 58,000 — will be allowed in designated viewing areas, to make social distancing more possible. Visitors will not be allowed in until about 3 p.m., later than past years.
