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Covid rules thrown to the wind as revellers dance the 31st night away
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New Year revellers at five star hotels in Colombo and, at Galle Face Green. Pix by Nilan Maligaspe,
Akila Jayawardana and Eshan Fernando
Little heed was paid to COVID health guidelines, by events organisers and revellers alike as many danced and dined the night away to usher in 2022.
The Health Ministry guidelines were largely observed in the breach, with organisers making little effort to impose even the face mask requirement, let alone social distancing.
Large crowds gathered at hotels, parks, roadsides and public places such as the Galle Face green to welcome the New Year, ignoring warnings that the new COVID variant Omicron was fast spreading across the world.
With the city and suburbs illuminated with colourful lights and the night sky lit by bright fireworks, revellers danced away into the dawn of the New Year ignoring the COVID guidelines.
The parties and events held at hotels too had crowds exceeding the Health Ministry-stipulated limits. The guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health specifically urged the people to refrain from non essential travel and restrict movements outside the houses as far as possible.
The new guidelines issued for January also specified that public gatherings, meetings and events are not permitted unless prior approval was obtained from the proper authorities.
The guidelines were issued for meetings and events strongly encouraging virtual meetings and permission being granted only to hold events with a maximum of 50 percent of the capacity of the venue. House gatherings were restricted to 10 persons. However during the 31st night and the dawn of New Year people neglected the fresh guidelines issued.
Meanwhile, an average of 463 fresh covid cases were reported this week. Among them were 47 people who had contracted the omicron variant.
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