The planet celebrates a different New Year from country to country

Jet lag requires, some are already in 2021. And among the first to celebrate the new year, several countries, such as New Zealand or New Caledonia, taste a feeling of normalcy since the coronavirus is not very present there. The New Year’s Eve party is therefore done without barrier gestures.

All keep in mind the health situation in France, however, and have a thought for those who, unlike them, cannot celebrate the New Year. All the more reason to celebrate, on behalf of those who cannot.

Although the Pacific has been largely spared, not all countries have celebrated New Year’s Eve in the same carefree manner. In Sydney, Australia’s largest city, the famous New Year’s Eve fireworks display was fired over the Bay, but with almost no spectators appearing after a recent outbreak of contamination in the north of the city which totals some 150 cases.

Even the plan to allow 5,000 people, working on the front lines in the fight against the epidemic, to attend to thank them for their efforts has been abandoned. Most residents will therefore have to content themselves with watching it on television in the presence of a number of guests limited to five.

The world enters 2021 on Friday under the influence of the coronavirus pandemic that has forced billions of people to celebrate the New Year in privacy and at home.

The gigantic city of Wuhan, China, where the virus first appeared in late 2019, has seen thousands of people gather to celebrate the New Year.

In Hong Kong, despite the restrictions, a few revelers have ventured to the Victoria Harbor waterfront to take selfies.

And in Tokyo, where residents face the prospect of the imposition of a state of emergency after a record 1,300 new infections daily, the Japanese were lining up with their faces covered or shielded to offer their New Year’s prayers. .

In Russia, President Vladimir Putin admitted in his New Year’s speech that a second wave of infections is hitting the nation. “Unfortunately, the epidemic has not yet been completely stopped. The fight against the epidemic does not end for a minute, ”he said.

In hard-hit London, the celebrations were muted, as the government urged people to stay home to avoid spreading the virus, with the slogan ‘Act like you have it’.

France was living a “31st New Year’s Eve” under curfew, exceptionally supervised by 100,000 police and gendarmes: all travel between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. – except for professional reasons – was prohibited, any violation of the curfew punishable by a strong fine and clandestine parties liable to be repressed.

In Dubai, thousands of people were expected to witness a fireworks and laser show at Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world. All people had to wear a mask or register using a QR code.

In Beirut, the authorities also relaxed the measures. The curfew was pushed back to 3 a.m. Bars, restaurants and nightclubs have reopened and have big New Years parties.

In Brazil, the second most bereaved country in the world, circulate on social networks, circulate videos of people partying without masks, and television has broadcast images of police officers closing bars crowded with customers.

In New York City, where Times Square usually overflows with euphoric people under a shower of confetti, the Manhattan neighborhood was cordoned off and revelers encouraged to follow the televised countdown from home, with American singer Gloria Gaynor.

The new epidemic waves are forcing a majority of residents to follow the celebrations virtually, from their sofa, after months of restrictions or even containment due to COVID-19, which has killed at least 1.7 million people worldwide .

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