A senior executive of the Manhattan borough, Mark Levine, calls the plan irresponsible. “We need to do more to stop the virus. Unfortunately, I therefore believe that we cannot allow an audience at the Times Square event,” Levine told The New York Times. Epidemiologist Wafaa El-Sadr also expresses his doubts in the newspaper. “Even with all the measures, all those present run a high risk of contamination.”
Progress
At the turn of the year on New York’s most famous square around New Year’s Eve, 15,000 people are allowed to attend. That is much less than the 60,000 that would be there without corona measures. All attendees older than 5 years must be able to demonstrate that they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. The most famous part in Times Square is dropping a ball after the countdown to the new year.
Current Mayor Bill DeBlasio has already given his approval for the New Years Eve events. “We have to show that we are moving forward.”