New Yorkers Fear New Year's Eve Will Spread COVID: Patch Survey

NEW YORK, NY — There is maybe no holiday that will feel the restrictions of coronavirus more than New Year's Eve. New Yorkers who would usually be planning which bars to hit are now planning which movies to watch at home.

A Patch survey found that 81.5 percent do not intend to go out on New Year's Eve, with only 2.4 percent saying they were trying to find a party.

Additionally, more than 91 percent of respondents are worried that the holiday will result in a surge of coronavirus cases.

In terms of staying up to watch the ball drop, 78 percent of respondents said they are planning to stay up for midnight on New Year's Eve, but 61.3 percent of survey takers said they thought New Year's Eve would be a letdown.

Respondents shared some of the things they will miss about a typical New Year's Eve, and the answers did not disappoint.

• Movies, dining out with friends, not being afraid.
• Gathering with friends and family.
• Watching the crowds in Times Square.
• Attending church.
• The midnight run in Central Park.

But others saw the new year as light at the end of the tunnel. One said they'd spent all year feeling dread, but with the new year they felt hope.

Patch's survey was taken as the number of people in New York testing positive jumped more than two percentage points to 8.3 percent on Monday.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it was a post Christmas bump that could be due to a decrease in testing as well more sick New York spending time with other family members.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to recommend that people postpone travel and stay home this New Year's Eve.

Those who do leave home should cover their face while in public, social distance from people outside their household and frequently wash their hands.

You can read the full CDC guidelines for the holiday season on its website.

Here are the results of our poll: