As people prepare to celebrate New Year's Eve on Friday, many of the usual festivities have been scaled back or cancelled due to coronavirus.
The emergence of the Omicron variant in the weeks leading up to Christmas has forced governments all over the world to review existing restrictions after months of relative freedom.
Countries such as Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands have all announced full or partial lockdowns since the variant emerged in November. Countless other countries have also tightened restrictions on hospitality, introduced mandates on mask-wearing or limited indoor and outdoor gatherings. Read more about how European countries reacted to Omicron here.
Read more: The rules on having a New Year's Eve party in Wales
While there won't be the complete shutdown we saw this time last year, events celebrating the end of 2021 will again be more subdued than normal, with some traditionally annual events scaled back and others cancelled entirely.
Here's how different countries will be ringing in the New Year:
United Kingdom
Despite rules being less strict in England than in other parts of the UK, most traditionally held events and celebrations at New Year's have been cancelled or hugely scaled back.
London’s official fireworks display was cancelled for the second year running back in October. However, a surprise event featuring pyrotechnics and live performances was announced earlier on Friday. However, like last year's smaller event, people are being asked to watch the spectacle from their homes due to the rise of the Omicron variant.
Nightclubs are closed in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland but remain open in England, so expect to see some crowds there on Friday.
United States
New York's centrepiece New Year celebration in Times Square, complete with its famous ball drop, is going ahead but with much smaller crowds than normal.
This year, the city will require revellers to show proof of vaccination and photo ID and to wear masks. The event normally hosts 58,000 people but this year will be limited to about 15,000 attendees and won't allow entry until 3pm, New York City Mayor Bill di Blasio has confirmed.
New York's event goes ahead despite record Covid-19 numbers in the city, with more than 39,000 cases reported on Tuesday this week. Other major American cities have cancelled their celebrations amid surging cases, with Atlanta City cancelling its annual Peach Drop and San Francisco scrapping its New Year's show.
France
Paris' local authorities announced earlier this month that the city's annual New Year's Eve event on Champs Elysees, which normally includes DJ sets and a fireworks display, would not be going ahead due to concerns over Omicron.
However, unlike last year, there will be no curfews or capacity limits for events, meaning people can hold their own private gatherings with friends. On December 17, Prime Minister Jean Castex said that he was calling on citizens to act responsibly during New Year celebrations by limiting the number of guests at parties, testing before attending social events and respecting social distancing measures.
On December 29 over 209,000 Covid cases were recorded in France, the first time the daily total has topped 200,000.
Germany
New measures which came into force across many of Germany's federal states this week mean public gatherings are banned and private parties are also being capped at ten guests, providing all of them are vaccinated. If an unvaccinated person is in attendance, the contact limit is reduced to just two households.
In Berlin, the usual New Years' Eve fireworks display at Brandenburg Gate will be a more subdued affair, with gatherings on other streets and squares not permitted.
Italy
In Italy concerts, open-air events and clubs have been shut until January 31 and public events in its squares are not permitted, meaning no New Year's Eve events.
There are no restrictions on celebrations at home, meaning people can still see in the new year with friends and family.
Spain
Restrictions in Spain vary depending on the region. Madrid City Hall is limiting access to the central Puerta del Sol square to 7,000 people on New Year’s Eve to see in 2022, while five large New Year’s events – with between 500 and 1,000 people expected – have been denied permission to operate according to El Pais.
Many other areas including Catalonia and Valencia have introduced measures like Covid passports and curfews on hospitality in a bid to reduce the number of late-night revellers on Friday.
Greece
Due to the pandemic, the usual fireworks display over the Acropolis has been cancelled this year.
This week the Greek government announced new restrictions on the hospitality sector, bringing forward measures originally planned for early January.
From Thursday evening, bars, nightclubs and restaurants must close at midnight with no standing customers and no music. New Year's Eve is an exception, however, with bars allowed to stay open until 2am.
Australia
Among the countries which have already celebrated New Year, Australia saw its Sydney harbour fireworks event go ahead with reduced crowds.
Tens of thousands are estimated to have celebrated in the city - a far cry from the estimated one million who normally flock into Sydney every New Year's Eve.
However, most viewing areas were capped by the council and mask-wearing was encouraged when social distancing was not possible.
Brazil
In Rio, the traditional fireworks display on Copacobana Beach are going ahead in a scaled-back format, though crowds of revellers are still expected. The concert usually held after the display will not be going ahead this year.
Despite having one of the worst Covid death tolls in the world, Brazil has barely been impacted by the new variant, with only 77 Omicron cases having been confirmed so far.
China
China is one of many countries which has curbed most New Year's celebrations due to concerns over the virus. Major countdown shows, displays and public gatherings in Beijing, Nanjing and Wuhan have been cancelled as people are also being discouraged from travelling for the Lunar New Year break in the first week of February.
Russia
Moscow's Red Square is closed for the second successive year due to the pandemic. While there will be some fireworks displays taking place across the country, members of the public will have to watch from a distance or vantage point rather than gathering in public spaces.
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