San Francisco cancels New Year's Eve fireworks over COVID-19 pandemic
California city says move was made to protect residents, frontline workers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New Year’s Eve in San Francisco will be much quieter this year.
The city, citing a rise in coronavirus cases fueled by the omicron variant, has announced the cancellation of its annual fireworks show in order to "best protect San Franciscans and essential front-line workers."
"While we are all understandably eager to ring in a new year with San Francisco’s customary New Year’s Eve fireworks show, we must remain vigilant in doing all we can to stop the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant," Mayor London Breed said in a statement. "Thanks to our employee vaccine mandate, our public safety workers are well-protected against COVID, but they still must take all precautions to help limit the spread.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fireworks illuminate the sky during the New Year celebrations in San Francisco in January 2018. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
NYC MAYOR SCALES BACK TIMES SQUARE NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION
"By canceling the New Year’s Eve fireworks show we are reducing everyone’s exposure to COVID-19, while ensuring continuity of citywide public safety operations," she added.
Medical workers are seen at a Dignity Health-GoHealth Urgent Care Covid-19 testing site in the international terminal at San Francisco International Airport on Dec. 2, 2021. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The "annual fireworks show at the Embarcadero requires increased deployments for critical public safety staff like police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and 9-1-1 dispatchers," the city also said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Despite the cancellation, San Francisco allowed 18,064 spectators into the Chase Center on Tuesday night for an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets.
Teresa Hui poses for a selfie in front of a 2022 sign displayed in Times Square, New York. (AP/Seth Wenig)
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San Francisco’s cancellation also comes after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio scaled back plans for the iconic ball drop in Times Square.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Those who want to attend this year's New Year festivities in the Big Apple will have to be fully vaccinated, wear face masks and practice social distancing measures.
Fox News’ Kyle Morris contributed to this report.