SYDNEY: The world is ready to usher in 2022 on Friday after the turbulent years of the pandemic-ridden and otherwise restricted by the new restrictions, increased number of cases, and a little glimmer of hope for better times ahead.
12 Last month saw the new president and the new Adele album, Olympic spectators the first free and democratic dream from Afghanistan to Myanmar and Hong Kong was destroyed by the authoritarian regime.
But the pandemic is now entering its third year was again dominated life for most of mankind.
More than 5.4 million people have been killed since the coronavirus which was first reported in Central China in December 2019.
Countless more have been sickened experienced an outbreak, lockdowns, lock-in and the alphabet spaghetti of PCR, LFT and RAT test.
2021 began with expectations, life-saving vaccines are rolled for about 60 percent of the world population, although many are poor access is still limited, and some of the rich believe jabs are part of some plans that are not clear.
As the year draws to a close, the emergence of variants Omicron push the number of new cases daily Covid passed one million for the first time, according to an AFP count.
UK, USA, Australia and even the length of protection from the pandemic that broke the record for new cases.
– For the party, or not-from Seoul to San Francisco, New Years Eve celebrations have again been canceled or restricted.
In Rio, the celebrations are usually brought three million people to Copacabana Beach, will go ahead.
As New York Times Square, the official ceremony at the “Cidade Maravilhosa” will be lower but still expected a crowd of revelers.
“People have only one desire, to leave their homes, to celebrate life after the pandemic has forced everyone to lock up,” said 45-year-Copacabana beach waiter Francisco Rodrigues.
Some of Brazil is more cautious, after one of the most destructive epidemics in the world which left 618,000 dead.
“There will be many people in Copacabana,” said the 27-year lawyer Roberta Assis.
“It’s inevitable.” He plans to hang out at a friend’s house with a small group.
“This is not the moment for large gatherings,” he said.
Authorities in Seoul showed the same caution, capping the audience from the traditional midnight bells ringing that instead of going and live-streaming television and metaverse platform that will allow people to see the virtual-reality version of the ceremony.
– Focus on the positive – In contrast, Australia’s largest city Sydney has decided to press ahead with a fireworks display will light up the city’s port.
Unlike the free spectator event last year, tens of thousands of revelers are expected to crowd the front edge even though one of the caseload of the fastest growing in the world.
“I’m just trying to focus on the positive things that happened this year, rather than stay on all the bad things that have happened,” said the 22-year medical student Melinda Howard, which is part of an enthusiastic but smaller- than usual crowd waiting by Opera House for the fireworks to start.
Australia’s conservative government says an abrupt U-turn left “Covid-zero” in favor of “living with Covid” is based on high rates of adult vaccinations and proof that the Omicron less deadly.
Many Western leaders have been hesitant to apply strict controls look back in 2020, for fear of triggering a new economic downturn.
However, on-again-off-again restrictions have still asked often, vocal and sometimes violent anti-lock, anti-vaccine and anti-government protests.
– Trying times – it’s not all doom and gloom, however.
In South Africa, the first country to report a new variant, the midnight-to-4: 00 o’clock curfew lifted to allow celebrations to go ahead.
Health officials there say that swimming in infections in the past week showed the peak current wave passed.
To date, the World Health Organization has warned of trying times ahead.
“I am very concerned that Omicron, become more infectious, circulating at the same time as Delta, which leads to a tsunami of cases,” WHO chief said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“It is and will continue to provide substantial pressure on the health worker fatigue, and health system on the verge of collapse.” Experts and non-experts alike hope that 2022 will probably be remembered as a new, less lethal phase of the pandemic.
“I think it would be incredible because we will be saying goodbye to all of this difficult situation,” said Oscar Ramirez reveler 31 years in Sydney.
“Hopefully 2022 will be better for everyone.
Everyone in the world needs a big change.”