Australia celebrates New Year 2021. According to 9news, the fireworks were as bright as ever, but the mood was far different: CBD foreshores and parks were largely quiet, and the traditional thrum of restaurants and pubs was muted.
We made it through 2020 together - let's do the same in 2021.
— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) December 31, 2020
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Sydney traditionally launched a large fireworks display over the Harbor Bridge.
Sydney became even more isolated from the rest of the country after the states closed borders and imposed restrictive measures for its residents the day before.
It has been a year with a lot of challenges in Australia: from devastating bushfires to a global pandemic, nearly every resident in Australia has been touched by events that started far overseas. But there is hope: a COVID-19 vaccine – several in fact – has been developed, and is currently in the process of gaining regulatory approval.