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What to Know About the Times Square Ball Drop on New Year’s Eve

The longstanding tradition will return to Times Square this year, with some safety measures in place, as Covid-19 surges. Here’s how to watch.

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New York City Prepares for Scaled Back New Year’s Eve Celebration

Despite a recent spike in coronavirus cases, crowds will return to Times Square for the annual ball drop.

Every year we change 192 of these triangles, creating a patchwork of hopes and dreams on the ball. The mayor and everyone have announced that we’re going to have reduced revelers in Times Square, but we’re going to have more than a billion revelers around the world joining us on TV and on the internet celebrating. It’s the one moment where we all come together, even if it’s just for 60 seconds, as we count down towards 2022.

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Despite a recent spike in coronavirus cases, crowds will return to Times Square for the annual ball drop.CreditCredit...Johnny Milano for The New York Times

As New Yorkers get ready to kick the door closed on 2021, crowds will return to Times Square on Friday for the annual ball drop — despite the surge in Covid-19 cases in New York City and across the country.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last week that although New Year’s Eve celebrations would be scaled back somewhat this year, the ball drop would go on. Last year, only a small number of frontline workers and their families were allowed to attend.

“We want to show that we’re moving forward and we want to show the world that New York City is fighting our way through this,” Mr. de Blasio said on the “Today” show Thursday, emphasizing the event’s vaccination policy. “It’s really important to not give up in the face of this.”

Although the public will be welcome once more to Times Square, revelers may want to think twice about watching the ball drop in person this year.

New York City’s seven-day average test positivity rate was about 15 percent on Tuesday, according to the state. The event will also draw people from places around the country and the world with varying rates of Covid cases and vaccination.

“Even with limited attendance, vaccination and masking requirements, gathering in Times Square will not be without risk,” Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, an epidemiology professor at Columbia University, said in an email.


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