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Covid-19: Paris cancels New Year's Eve fireworks to limit spread of virus

All holiday festivities planned to take place on Champs-Elysees called off

The Paris town hall announced on Saturday the cancellation of all holiday festivities which were planned to take place on Champs-Elysees on December 31, including the big New Year's Eve fireworks, to limit the spread of Covid-19.

“The City of Paris regrets to announce of the cancellation of all festivities planned to take place on the Champs-Elysees on December 31 due to the resurgence of the pandemic,” the town hall said in a statement.

According to the town hall, the festivities were cancelled amid a resurgence of the virus and following the recommendations of the police department and the regional agency of health (ARS).

Despite the cancellation of the fireworks and other festivities that were planned for December 31, the town hall noted that people will still be able to enjoy the holiday spirit near the Hotel de Ville until January 2 and near the Bastille Palace until December 26, where some festive events will still take place.

Last year, the country had cancelled all Chirstmas and New Year celebrations amid a nationwide curfew imposed to help tackle the pandemic which was only lifted for Christmas Eve.

On Friday, French Prime Minister Jean Castex asked town halls to cancel concerts and New Year’s Eve fireworks in a bid to limit the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant. Following Castex’s speech, the country closed off its borders for people travelling from the UK, which has been struggling from a surge in Omicron cases.

In early December, French Health Minister Olivier Veran said that a fifth coronavirus wave is expected to peak in late January in France. The country reported 58,128 new Covid-19 cases on Friday. Over 76% of the population is fully vaccinated.