See images of New Year’s in New Zealand – where COVID-19 is nearly nonexistent
Just imagine: You’re with your closest friends and family — maskless. Perhaps dozens of others are around you. Fireworks are being shot off to ring in the new year and everyone is embracing one another.
For many Americans, that’s merely a fantasy as the COVID-19 pandemic will make New Year’s Eve less exciting than years past..
But for New Zealanders, New Year’s Eve was about as normal as can be.
In New Zealand, an island country with a population of 4.8 million in the south Pacific, coronavirus is nearly nonexistent. The country has just 55 active cases and has had only 1,806 total confirmed infections since the worldwide pandemic began.
Early Thursday morning, Americans watched as New Zealand entered into 2021 with large crowds, parties and fireworks.
Take a look at New Year’s Eve celebrations around New Zealand, among the first countries to usher in 2021.
New Year Countdown at Victoria St Auckland New Zealand pic.twitter.com/dt2j5w5uE5
— Caronicles (@Caronicles_) December 31, 2020
VIDEO: New Zealand's largest city #Auckland waves goodbye to 2020 with a New Year's Eve fireworks display at the iconic Sky Tower at its central business district #HappyNewYear #HappyNewYear2021 pic.twitter.com/NMO1GMkgr5
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 31, 2020
Happy New Year everyone, from Auckland NZ. pic.twitter.com/tpb4dHsq4q
— Meow (@poti_ngeru) December 31, 2020
Good riddance to 2020! Crowds gather restriction-free in New Zealand to ring in 2021 https://t.co/40qMtlyj1O pic.twitter.com/dLtrWJjp5h
— Daily Mail Australia (@DailyMailAU) December 31, 2020
2021 has arrived in New Zealand!#HappyNewYear2021 #HappyNewYear pic.twitter.com/mkOOsVvBmr
— Ben Noll (@BenNollWeather) December 31, 2020
#NewZealand celebrates 2021.
Look how many people in the streets.
One of the few countries who you will see these pictures pic.twitter.com/AHeC8RTJ28— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) December 31, 2020