A near empty Regent St in London after Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson cancelled Christmas for almost 18 million people. Photo / Alberto Pezzali, AP
A near empty Regent St in London after Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson cancelled Christmas for almost 18 million people. Photo / Alberto Pezzali, AP
EDITORIAL
As we settle into the post-Christmas glow, it's timely to consider the less fortunate. We in New Zealand have been very fortunate indeed.
There have been sacrifices and impacts, some of which will be felt for years to come. But by a combination of adherence to scientific advice andthe benevolence of whichever deity one subscribes to, we have had as normal a Yuletide as anywhere in the world.
Right now, Christmas is a starkly different affair in the United Kingdom, where early tracking of a Covid-19 variant, which scientists believe may spread more easily, threw southern England into lockdown and prompted countries around the world to halt flights from the UK.
Effectively, Christmas was cancelled in London and surrounding areas. There is little cause for cheer, government sources warn there is a "high chance" of a full national lockdown in the New Year.
A woman wears a face-covering mask as she walks in the normally busy Leicester Square in London. Photo / Alberto Pezzali, AP
After an outbreak from an as yet unidentified source, Sydney was able to ease some lockdown restrictions for Christmas but the city's Northern Beaches remained in "red" lockdown. Three days of relaxed Christmas restrictions to Sydneysiders was made in part to alleviate mental health concerns.
In the United States, officials across the tri-state New York area issued pleas to avoid travel, wear masks and limit gatherings - as fears grew the more virulent Covid-19 strain would cross the Atlantic, although experts said the new strain would already be Stateside.
A woman jogs through a snow-blanketed and near-deserted Times Square in New York. Photo / Mark Lennihan, AP
Germany has also gone into a hard lockdown over the Christmas period after the number of deaths and infections from the virus surged in early December. Non-essential shops and schools are closed nationwide during the lockdown, which will last until January 10.
The Netherlands and the Czech Republic followed Germany into strict second lockdowns over the holiday period.
Bars and restaurants in the Netherlands have been closed since mid-October but the partial lockdown has not slowed the spread of the virus enough, resulting in a full closure for five weeks until January 19.
An image of a skull is glued on to a traffic light on the near-empty Dam Square with the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. Photo / Peter Dejong, AP
Italy is also in a new lockdown for much of the Christmas and New Year. Many Italian regions are under partial lockdown and a ban on travel between different regions from December 21 to January 6 has been announced.
On top of the regional travel bans, people are not allowed to leave their home towns on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. There are exceptions only for work, medical reasons or emergencies.
In Russia, Moscow is under strict measures until January 15. These include early closing times for restaurants and cafes and a 25 per cent capacity limit at cinemas and theatres. Residents over the age of 65 and those in high-risk groups must also self-isolate until the second week of January. Other regions of Russia have similar restrictions.
Red Square decorated for Christmas and New Year but without the Christmas Market due to the virus-related restrictions. Photo / Alexander Zemlianichenko, AP
In Spain, social gatherings on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are limited to 10 people.
Even Sweden, which has had a comparatively hands-off response to the pandemic and has tried not to let it disrupt normal life, is introducing its toughest restrictions yet.
Granbystaden shopping centre in Uppsala, Sweden where the Government has been forced to bring in restrictions. Photo / Henrik Montgomery, TT via AP
Curbs on the numbers that can gather in restaurants, shops and gyms start from next week, while people have been told to work from home. The Government is also now recommending face masks are worn on public transport.
The Financial Times reports stringent lockdowns also remain in parts of Asia, South America and Africa.
A health worker hands out anti-bacterial gel in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where all but essential business is locked down from December 25-27 and January 1-3. Photo / Carla Carniel, AP
Meanwhile, Godzone has never been such an apt epithet as it is today.
