Times Square New Year's Eve will not have public audience

The Times Square New Year's Eve celebration in New York will not have a public audience this year to prevent the coronavirus spread.

The Times Square Alliance and evountdown Entertainment announced Tuesday that the event would not allow people to gather in Times Square on Dec. 31 this year and instead will be broadcast for TV and internet viewers.

Organizers for the New Year's Eve celebration had previously said in September that the event would be mostly virtual to follow social distancing guidelines during the pandemic.

"Safety of New Yorkers and participants is the priority of Times Square New Year's Eve 2021," the organization's statement said

The event's planners said they have consulted medical experts throughout the celebration's planning and will ensure all festivities follow New York's restrictions. All people who enter the specified areas will need to follow testing, screening, and safety guidelines.