New Year parties with social distancing
New Year, New You. People always look forward to the end of year party for the office. The New Year party with friends and family, and they are currently planning how to celebrate welcoming 2021 and letting go of what has been a bad year for so many because of the 2019 Coronavirus pandemic. The UK Government has recently introduced a new system of “Local Covid Alert Levels” in England, or commonly referred to as the three-tier system. This approach mandates that different parts of the country are to be placed in different categories depending on rates of infection, wherein areas in the highest level would face the stricter restrictions. Moreover, social distancing in the UK was also limited to a maximum of six people whether indoors or outdoors.
Given these restrictions of movement, and of public gatherings, the celebrations for New Year’s Eve is very much at risk of cancellation. Although it is understandable that the health and safety of all Brits comes first, it is also saddening if the welcoming of 2021 could not be celebrated in the same way as we did it before. Of course, the colourful fireworks are expected to light the sky in the evening. Still, if the rules are not modified due to the high chance of virus transmission then we should be expecting a New Year’s Eve inside our home rather than in parks, next to London Bridge or the in the Cornish town of St Ives, where traditionally, people gather on the beach to welcome the New Year.
How we are planning to spend Christmas Eve and New Years Eve are quite similar. It seems that New Year’s Eve could also be celebrated digitally, so we are all watching fireworks displayed online, and celebrating at home with loved ones and some nice food and wine. COVID-19 has brought a lot of distress to people around the world. Our only hope for things going back to the way it was is when the vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca passes the trial stage. Or other vaccines that are being developed around the World pass the human trials and become available to the public. If not, then our new normal of celebration continues with online displays of fireworks and parties, staying at home, connected through our laptops, computers and phones, digitally experiencing the world around us.
We all have to adapt, and that includes the way that we party, and celebrate. I am sure that you can all join me in saying goodbye to a bad 2020 and hoping and praying for a better 2021.
