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Don’t leave your mask at the door!
The Big Apple will cap crowd sizes and require masks for revelers looking to ring in the New Year in Times Square amid a dramatic surge in coronavirus cases across the city — and around the country — fueled by the arrival of the hyper-contagious Omicron variant, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday.
The restrictions add to the previously announced rules from City Hall that limit attendance to only those who can show proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID.
About a month after announcing a “full-strength” Times Square ball drop, de Blasio opted to cut the amount of participants by nearly 75 percent.
Officials said capping the crowd size at 15,000 — down from the usual 58,000 — will provide significant additional space for social distancing.
Follow the latest news on the Omicron variant with the New York Post’s live coverage
“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,” Hizzoner said in a statement. “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.”
The Head of the Times Square Alliance praised the mayor’s adjustments.
“We applaud the leadership of mayor de Blasio in finding a way to welcome revelers into Times Square on New Year’s Eve in an even safer way than we originally planned,” Tom Harris, President of the Times Square Alliance, said in a prepared statement. “This year, revelers will be fully vaccinated, masked, and we will have reduced occupancy in the viewing areas.”
The expected announcement comes after de Blasio has in recent days suggested the policies for the pandemic precaution policies for the Times Square festivities are subject to change, as the Big Apple has seen an explosion in COVID-19 cases.
It also follows his successor, mayor-elect Eric Adams, revealing Tuesday that he is postponing the planned Jan. 1 inauguration, originally to be held in the evening inside Brooklyn’s Kings Theater, for the same reason.
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