New York City mayor weighing restrictions on New Year’s Eve celebration

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) is weighing imposing more safety restrictions during the city’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration, CNBC reported. 

During an appearance on CNN’s “New Day,” de Blasio told host John Berman that city officials are looking into additional safety measures to keep everyone safe for the event amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re looking to add additional measures to make it even safer. We’re still in discussion. The goal, of course, is to keep it going,” de Blasio told Berman. 

JUST NOW: “”The answer to omicron is find the measures that work to keep things moving.”@NYCMayor say no decision–yet–but sure sounds like he wants to keep NYE festivities in Times Sq. Says they are discussing added safety measures.pic.twitter.com/25WRsFKeOG

— John Berman (@JohnBerman) December 22, 2021

Attendees for the New Year’s Eve celebration are required to be fully vaccinated against the virus at least two weeks beforehand unless they have a medical exemption, according to CNBC. 

Fully vaccinated attendees are not required to get booster shots and follow mask mandates for the event, but de Blasio said he will make changes by Christmas time. 

“If we need to make any other modifications, obviously, working very closely with our health care leaders, we’ll decide that in the course this week, we’ll announce it before Christmas,” he said at a Monday news conference. 

This comes as the city is dealing with another COVID-19 outbreak, as more than 9 percent of people who tested for the virus were positive as of Saturday. 

According to New York City Health Department data, the positivity rate, which shows the level of infections in the city, doubled in one week. 

The Times Square Alliance, which organizes the annual celebration, said it is working with the city on any proposed changes, CNBC reported. 

The previous year, the group held a fully masked New Year’s Eve celebration with a huge crowd turnout. 

New York state has one of the highest vaccination rates in the nation, with 71 percent of residents being fully vaccinated, compared to 62 percent of the U.S. population, CNBC noted.