Covid-19: No New Year's Eve festivities in Rio de Janeiro this year

For fear of Covid, Rio de Janeiro is canceling its huge New Year's celebration with its elaborate fireworks, like those seen on January 1, 2015 (pictured).

TASSO MARCELO AFP / File

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1 min

In Brazil, the arrival of the Omicron variant is shaking up the end-of-year celebrations.

Twenty large cities have already canceled the New Year's Eve festivities, including Rio, which will be deprived of the traditional fireworks display on Copacabana beach on New Year's Eve.

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With our correspondent in São Paulo,

Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes has sadly announced that there will be no New Years Eve in Copacabana this year, due to the coronavirus and uncertainties surrounding the Omicron variant.

Eduardo Paes explains that there are divergent opinions between the scientific committees, but that he prefers to play it safe.

Rio's traditional December 31st party is awe-inspiring: it draws some 3 million people to Copacabana Beach to witness the traditional fireworks display.

The health situation in Rio has improved significantly, but the new variant risks disrupting the party, and the virus could spread quickly.

The doctors were delighted with this decision of the mayor.

But it was not unanimous: the governor of the state of Rio, Claudio Castro, has indeed affirmed that the decision would not be taken until next week.

However, for Copacabana, once again this year, the cause seems heard.

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