Rio Cancels Huge New Year Celebration Amid Omicron Fears

Rio Cancels Huge New Year Celebration Amid Omicron Fears

iexclusive News Nigeria reports that Rio de Janeiro has opted to suspend its massive New Year’s Eve celebrations “with sadness” due to growing fears about the spread of the new Covid-19 strain known as Omicron.

“The official New Year’s party in Rio will be canceled,” Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes declared on Twitter on Saturday.

He said that the decision was made “with grief,” but in light of Omicron’s rapid spread. In Brazil, six occurrences of the variation have been confirmed thus far.

The decision came after months of intense deliberation between municipal leaders and Brazilian health experts, with Omicron arriving after a significant improvement in the country’s virus situation.

Finally, Paes said, “Let us respect science” and proceed with caution.

Over 20 other Brazilian cities, including the capital of Sao Paulo, have also canceled their year-end celebrations.

People will now need Covid-19 immunization certificates to visit beauty salons, restaurants, pubs, and hotels, Paes announced on Thursday. Previously, they were compulsory in movie theaters, gyms, museums, and sports stadiums.

The city’s New Year’s celebrations, which include joyful dance music and lavish fireworks displays, regularly draw three million visitors to the city’s famous Copacabana beach.

Paes subsequently told reporters that even without the fireworks, “the city remains magnificent, incredible, hospitable,” and that “vaccinated tourists will be extremely welcome.”

He also tried to convey excitement about the Carnival, despite the fact that it is still three months away.

Meanwhile, Rio’s renowned samba schools are hard at work learning dance movements, putting together floats, and crafting unique costumes.

Covid-19 has killed almost 615,000 people in Brazil, second only to the United States.

AFP