France prepared once again for 2022 New Year’s Eve celebrations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks have been made mandatory outdoors in French cities including Paris, Lyon and Dijon
Muted New Year’s Eve celebrations were taking place across Europe as renewed COVID restrictions prevented large-scale events from taking place, and people were discouraged from gathering in large crowds.
Fireworks displays and live TV shows went ahead in several capitals, but often without spectators as many instead watched from home.
2022 New Year’s Eve celebrations in France
The new measure is only one of several new restrictions put in place to slow down the spread of the Omicron variant.
The country reported 232,200 new confirmed coronavirus cases in a 24-hour period on Friday, a tally above 200,000 for the third day running.
The French government urged people to be cautious during the celebrations, and while the New Year fireworks and concert in Paris were cancelled, authorities said there wouldn’t be a curfew.
