Hello 2022! Muted celebrations ring in new year around the world

Revelers gather ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations in Times Square. Despite record numbers of Covid-19 cases across the city and nationwide, New York City moved forward with New Year's Eve celebrations.

Revelers embrace as they celebrate the new year on the Champs Elysees in Paris.

Since Friday, a mask is mandatory for pedestrians in Paris and other cities.

Fireworks explode over St. Basil's Cathedral, the Kremlin and an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions in Moscow.

Boisterous New Year's Eve celebrations kicked off Friday in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the fast-spreading omicron variant.

Revelers use lights to paint "2022" for a long-exposure photograph in Arolla, Switzerland.

Fireworks explode over the ancient Parthenon temple at the Acropolis in Athens.

People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya Street near Red Square. 

A light display marks the new year over St Paul's Cathedral. 

Nurse Bess Tribout pours champagne to celebrate the new year in the Covid-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France.

Revelers enjoy the atmosphere at Madrid's Puerta del Sol Square. 

A couple looks out at the Eiffel Tower lit up in blue to mark France hosting the rotating presidency of the European Union.

Paris canceled its annual New Year's Eve fireworks display.

A girl watches the family fireworks with her mother at Alexandra Garden during New Year's Eve celebrations in Melbourne.

A near-deserted Victoria Street in the center of Edinburgh. The streets of Scotland's capital are normally packed for "Hogmanay," as people from around the world flock to see in the new year in raucous style.

Fireworks erupt over the Chao Praya River in Bangkok.

Two nurses wear festive headgear in the central emergency room at Asklepios Klinikum in Hamburg on New Year's Eve.

Covid infections rose steeply in Germany through October and November, but they have eased off in December.

Fireworks explode over Quezon Memorial Circle in Metro Manila, Philippines. Large celebrations to ring in the new year were staged in Metro Manila despite Covid cases surging over the Christmas week.

Revelers gather in Istanbul.

Turkey logged 40,786 new coronavirus cases on Friday, its highest since April, and the health minister warned that the Omicron variant had become dominant as Turks celebrated New Year's Eve without restrictions.

Fireworks light up the Taipei skyline.

Fireworks light up the sky over Sydney Harbor as the clock strikes midnight.

Fireworks explode over Sydney Harbor.

2021's Year in Pictures