New York welcomed 2022 with the traditional descent of the crystal ball of "Times Square", the Associated Press reported.

Thousands of people stood side by side in Times Square, counting down the seconds until the 6-ton ball landed at midnight local time, marking the end of last year and the beginning of the new year.

The event was attended by about 15,000 people, far fewer than the tens of thousands who usually gather to watch the iconic descent, the Associated Press reported.

The ball came at a time when the American nation is trying to charge with optimism that the worst days of the coronavirus pandemic are over. Yesterday, health experts warned that celebrating with too many people on New Year's Eve was not a good idea given the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Last year's descent of the Crystal Ball in Times Square was not allowed due to the pandemic, reminds the Associated Press.

Although the number of people attending the event this year was smaller, it was attended by many people, some of whom came from far away in order to watch it.

Local authorities have demanded that the descent of the Crystal Ball of Times Square, one of the world's most popular locations, be attended by people to show New York's determination to recover from the coronavirus.

/BTA

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