2021 started eerily quiet under strict lockdown rules around the world.
Most people watched the annual 2021 firework displays from the safety of their homes.
In Cape Town a beam of light lit up the night sky in remembrance of the lives lost and those fighting on the frontlines.
From Sydney Harbour Bridge to the Acropolis, fireworks burst in skies above eerily deserted landmarks as the world ushered in the New Year with muted celebrations and said good riddance to a pandemic-ridden 2020.
After a grinding year that has seen at least 1.7 million people die from Covid-19, fresh waves of infection have sparked renewed lockdowns and forced would-be revellers to extend their 2020 tradition of watching events from the sofa.
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Goodbye to all that: although celebrations will be muted because of coronavirus restrictions, many around the world will be hoping 2021 will be an improvement on 2020 ATTILA KISBENEDEK AFP
The world began ushering in the New Year Thursday, with pandemic controls muting celebrations for billions of people eager to bid farewell to a virus-ridden 2020.
After a grinding year that has seen at least 1.7 million people die from Covid-19, fresh waves of infection have sparked renewed lockdowns and forced would-be revellers to extend their 2020 tradition of watching events from the sofa.
From Sydney to Rome, firework displays, pyre burnings and live performances will be watched online or on television if they have not been cancelled altogether.