- Sputnik International
Multimedia
When a picture is worth a thousand words. See what's happening in the world from a more visual perspective with Sputnik's photo galleries, infographics and other multimedia content.

World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions

Subscribe
2021 celebrations around the world have been held under stringent quarantine measures - as COVID-19 case counts continue to rice in many countries.

COVID-19 pandemic changed people's lives around the world and the New Year is no exception, many people could not leave their house, someone had to celebrate alone, others had to cancel parties or move them online.

Red Square and Times Square were left without spectators, the traditional fireworks display on the London Eye was cancelled in London, and the police were on duty in Paris to prevent mass celebrations.

The vast majority of countries in the world celebrated the New Year with severe coronavirus restrictions.

In most European countries, gathering of large companies on the streets of the cities were prohibited with police units patrolling them. In Germany, for example, there was a ban on mass gatherings, drinking alcohol in public places and launching fireworks. The show at the Brandenburg Gate was also cancelled.  

A new, more infectious strain of the coronavirus is believed to have mutated in England’s southeast which forced many nations to suspend flights from the UK. Parts of England, including London, are under the strictest level of lockdown.

Since the beginning of a new type of coronavirus pandemic a year ago, the death toll from the infection in the world topped 1.811 million and over 83 million cases of the infection were detected.

© AFP 2023 / Isaac LawrenceTwo women gesture next to the water front of Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on 1 January 2021, despite the COVID-19 coronavirus restrictions in place and the New Year fireworks being cancelled, people gathered to celebrate the New Year.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
1/20
Two women gesture next to the water front of Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on 1 January 2021, despite the COVID-19 coronavirus restrictions in place and the New Year fireworks being cancelled, people gathered to celebrate the New Year.
© AFP 2023 / Roslan RahmanPeople watch as the Merlion statue is lit up as part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Singapore on 31 December 2020.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
2/20
People watch as the Merlion statue is lit up as part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Singapore on 31 December 2020.
© AFP 2023 / Jure MakovecA woman and her cats look at the New Year’s Eve fireworks through her window of her home in Ajdovscina, Slovenia on 1 January 2021.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
3/20
A woman and her cats look at the New Year’s Eve fireworks through her window of her home in Ajdovscina, Slovenia on 1 January 2021.
© REUTERS / Loren ElliottA reveller holds a sign reading "2020BYE" as a small number of people begin celebrating New Year's Eve at the Sydney Harbour waterfront amidst tightened COVID-19 prevention regulations in Sydney, Australia, 31 December 2020.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
4/20
A reveller holds a sign reading "2020BYE" as a small number of people begin celebrating New Year's Eve at the Sydney Harbour waterfront amidst tightened COVID-19 prevention regulations in Sydney, Australia, 31 December 2020.
© REUTERS / Lee Smith Two women celebrate New Year amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Newcastle, Britain 31 December 2020.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
5/20
Two women celebrate New Year amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Newcastle, Britain 31 December 2020.
© AFP 2023 / Carl de SouzaStunt airplanes perform aerial maneuvers leaving smoke trails and entertaining beachgoers above Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 31 December 2020. Rio de Janeiro's annual New Year's Eve beach bash and elaborate firework displays was cancelled due to the raging coronavirus pandemic. The city authorities will block beach access tonight, including a ban on vehicles along some 30 kilometres of Rio's coastline to prevent gatherings.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
6/20
Stunt airplanes perform aerial maneuvers leaving smoke trails and entertaining beachgoers above Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 31 December 2020. Rio de Janeiro's annual New Year's Eve beach bash and elaborate firework displays was cancelled due to the raging coronavirus pandemic. The city authorities will block beach access tonight, including a ban on vehicles along some 30 kilometres of Rio's coastline to prevent gatherings.
© AFP 2023 / Stefano RellandiniPolicemen patrol on the Champs Elysees avenue during the New Year's Eve as a 8:00 pm-6:00 am curfew is implemented in France to avoid a third wave of Covid-19 infections, in Paris, on 1 January 2020.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
7/20
Policemen patrol on the Champs Elysees avenue during the New Year's Eve as a 8:00 pm-6:00 am curfew is implemented in France to avoid a third wave of Covid-19 infections, in Paris, on 1 January 2020.
© AP Photo / Dmitri LovetskyA couple take a selfie photo at the Palace Square during New Year celebration in downtown St. Petersburg, Russia, Friday 1 January 2021.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
8/20
A couple take a selfie photo at the Palace Square during New Year celebration in downtown St. Petersburg, Russia, Friday 1 January 2021.
© AFP 2023 / Gary Hershorn / various sourcesSinger Jennifer Lopez performs in Times Square during New Year's Eve celebrations on 31 December 2020 in New York City.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
9/20
Singer Jennifer Lopez performs in Times Square during New Year's Eve celebrations on 31 December 2020 in New York City.
© AFP 2023 / Halldor KolbeinsIcelandic people celebrate New Year's Eve and hope for a brighter 2021 as fireworks light up the sky in Reykjavik, Iceland on 31 December 2020.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
10/20
Icelandic people celebrate New Year's Eve and hope for a brighter 2021 as fireworks light up the sky in Reykjavik, Iceland on 31 December 2020.
© REUTERS / Jeenah MoonConfetti flies around the ball and countdown clock in Times Square during the virtual New Year's Eve event following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US 1 January 2021.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
11/20
Confetti flies around the ball and countdown clock in Times Square during the virtual New Year's Eve event following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US 1 January 2021.
© REUTERS / Marko DjuricaPeople sing and dance on the streets during the New Year celebrations, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Belgrade, Serbia 1 January 2021.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
12/20
People sing and dance on the streets during the New Year celebrations, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Belgrade, Serbia 1 January 2021.
© AFP 2023 / Yasin AkgulA female street vendor flashes the V for victory sign on Taksim Square in Istanbul during the New Year's celebrations in Istanbul on 31 December 2020. The Turkish government announced a four-day lockdown between 31 December and 4 January 2021.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
13/20
A female street vendor flashes the V for victory sign on Taksim Square in Istanbul during the New Year's celebrations in Istanbul on 31 December 2020. The Turkish government announced a four-day lockdown between 31 December and 4 January 2021.
© AFP 2023 / Philip FongPeople gather at the Southern Beach of Chigasaki to watch the sunrise on New Year's Day in Kanagawa Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo on 1 January 2021.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
14/20
People gather at the Southern Beach of Chigasaki to watch the sunrise on New Year's Day in Kanagawa Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo on 1 January 2021.
© AP Photo / Hussein MallaA Lebanese couple celebrate the New Year Eve at a restaurant in Beirut, Lebanon, early Friday, 1 January 2021. The Lebanese Health Minister appealed to revellers to keep their masks on and maintain social distance protocols.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
15/20
A Lebanese couple celebrate the New Year Eve at a restaurant in Beirut, Lebanon, early Friday, 1 January 2021. The Lebanese Health Minister appealed to revellers to keep their masks on and maintain social distance protocols.
© REUTERS / Siphiwe SibekoRevellers celebrate at a balcony during a police patrol on New Year's Day as a nighttime curfew is reimposed amid a nationwide coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown, in Johannesburg, South Africa, 1 January 2021.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
16/20
Revellers celebrate at a balcony during a police patrol on New Year's Day as a nighttime curfew is reimposed amid a nationwide coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown, in Johannesburg, South Africa, 1 January 2021.
© REUTERS / KCNAPeople attend New Year's Day celebrations in Pyongyang in this photo supplied by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on 1 January 2021.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
17/20
People attend New Year's Day celebrations in Pyongyang in this photo supplied by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on 1 January 2021.
© AP Photo / Czarek SokolowskiA balloon vendor waits for customers in Warsaw's usually bustling Castle Square that has few people now under anti-COVID-19 restrictions on New Year's Eve, in Poland, Thursday, 31 December 2020.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
18/20
A balloon vendor waits for customers in Warsaw's usually bustling Castle Square that has few people now under anti-COVID-19 restrictions on New Year's Eve, in Poland, Thursday, 31 December 2020.
© REUTERS / KhamPeople gather on a street during New Year's Eve celebrations amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Hanoi, Vietnam, 1 January 2021.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
19/20
People gather on a street during New Year's Eve celebrations amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Hanoi, Vietnam, 1 January 2021.
© REUTERS / Thomas PeterPeople take pictures of the first sunrise of the New Year following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Beijing, China, 1 January 2021.
World Celebrates New Year Amid COVID-19 Restrictions - Sputnik International
20/20
People take pictures of the first sunrise of the New Year following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Beijing, China, 1 January 2021.
Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала