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The safest way to celebrate the new year is to celebrate at home with the people who live with you or virtually with friends and family. If you’re celebrating New Year’s with people outside your household, make sure you take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

• Wear a mask.
• Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arm lengths) apart.
• Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
• Wash your hands.
• Stay home if you’re sick.
• Get a flu shot as soon as possible.

Consider other activities to celebrate New Year’s, such as: 

• Have virtual celebrations with loved ones.
• Plan a New Year’s party for the people who live with you.
• Plan a neighborhood countdown to midnight.
• Watch a livestreamed firework display, concert, First Night event, or other New Year’s programming from your home.

Participate in Outdoor and Indoor Activities

If you want to spend time with people who don’t live with you, the safer choice is to meet outdoors. You are less likely to be exposed to COVID-19 during outdoor activities when you stay at least 6 feet from people who don’t live with you and limit your time around others. Remember to bring a mask with you to put on when you encounter people who may get closer than 6 feet, and follow local mask mandates. 

New Variant of Virus that Causes COVID-19 Detected

Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time. Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented in the United States and globally during this pandemic. Since November 2020, the United Kingdom (UK) has reported a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases in London and southeast England. This rapid increase in cases has been linked to a different version—or variant—of the virus that causes COVID-19. It is still very early in the identification of this variant, so we have a great deal to learn, and more studies are needed. 

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the U.S.

As of December 28, 2020

In the United States, there have been 19,055,869 confirmed cases of COVID-19 detected through U.S. public health surveillance systems in 50 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Marianas Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands.

CDC provides updated U.S. case information online daily.

In addition to cases, deaths, and laboratory testing, CDC’s COVID Data Tracker now has a County View to help make decisions about everyday activities.