This New Year’s Eve is as unique as the year that’s coming to an end, with pandemic restrictions limiting celebrations and many bidding 2020 good riddance.
As the clock struck midnight across Asia and the South Pacific, the New Year’s experience mirrored countries’ responses to the virus itself. Some canceled or scaled back festivities, while others without active outbreaks — or ignoring rising cases — carried on as though it were any other year.
Australia was among the first to ring in 2021 because of its proximity to the international date line. In past years, 1 million people crowded Sydney’s harbor to watch fireworks. This time, many watched on television. Authorities had urged residents to stay home, and the most populous states, New South Wales and Victoria, were battling new outbreaks.