De Blasio scales back Times Square New Year's Eve celebration
De Blasio insists dangers surrounding the omicron variant 'will be over soon'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday that the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square will again feature a very different look.
Those who want to attend this year's New Year festivities in the Big Apple will have to be fully vaccinated, wear face masks and practice social distancing measures amid the spread of the omicron COVID-19 variant.
Mayor de Blasio leaves after making an announcement at Delacorte Theater in Central Park in New York on March 16, 2021. (Lev Radin/Sipa USA)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"New Yorkers have stepped up tremendously over the past year – we are leading the way on vaccinations, we have reopened safely, and every day we work toward building a recovery for all of us," de Blasio said of the changes. "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 traveled to Brooklyn Thursday to present a $10,950,000 check for the preservation and restoration of the Old Stone House, where he claimed the onslaught of omicron will "be over soon."
The 2022 sign that will be lit on top of a building on New Year's Eve is displayed in Times Square, New York on Monday. (AP/Seth Wenig)
"It's gonna be a tough few weeks, but it will only be a few weeks," de Blasio said at a press conference. "Omicron has come on real fast, but it will be over soon."
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"We are not shutting down, we are not falling back, we're gonna fight our way through this," he added, touting coronavirus booster shots.
New York, New York (iStock)
The announcement comes amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in the city. According to the New York Times, the city reported nearly 17,000 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News reached out to de Blasio's office but did not receive an immediate response.