Omicron scuppers Wick's Hogmanay party
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The planned New Year's Eve gathering in Wick's Market Place has been cancelled due to rising fears over the current Covid Omicron variant.
Last Tuesday, the First Minister announced tougher restrictions to deal with the rise in cases of the Omicron variant and predicted a "tsunami of infections" across Scotland.
Nicola Sturgeon called for mixing among households to be kept to a minimum in the run-up to Christmas and immediately afterwards to help slow the spread of the Omicron variant.
The government position led to the vice chair of the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council (RBWCC), Allan Farquhar, announcing the cancellation of this year's planned Hogmanay bash in the town centre.
Mr Farquhar said: "We have concluded it would not be in the best interests of public health to run the Wick Hogmanay street party this year, when all efforts are being made to minimise the spread of the current Covid Omicron variant.
"We had been working very hard with Highland Council behind the scenes for the last two months to ensure all the various departments and emergency services were reasonably comfortable with our comprehensive arrangements to allow us to proceed with our Hogmanay street party for 2022 in accordance with laws, advice and best practice at the time.
"Unfortunately, in light of recent issues outwith our control – namely, the latest extremely contagious Covid variant – it would be irresponsible for us to proceed with an event which would realise a gathering of approximately 1000 people to celebrate the New Year and provide the opportunity for the virus to spread.
"Therefore the event has been cancelled."
Thurso band Cover2Cover had been lined up to provide music for the event and a local piper was set to bring in the bells to welcome 2022. Mr Farquhar organises the annual celebration through a branch of the RBWCC called the Hogmanay and People's Party Yearly committee (Happy) and was just awaiting a Highland Council licence and event insurance just before making the cancellation announcement.
The event is usually held within the vicinity of Wick's Market Square and High Street but was cancelled last year as well due to Covid restrictions. The Happy committee states that in past years the event provided "a chance for friends and family to get together to celebrate taking in the New Year in what is the heart of our town". The event usually attracts people from both Wick and all over the county.
Public Health Scotland urges the public to cancel their Christmas parties this year due to fears over Omicron, making the decision in the wake of concerns about NHS sickness levels after staff festive nights out. Ms Sturgeon indicated that businesses will be asked to step up the protections in place in their premises. She also said more people could be working from home than is currently the case and spoke of a race between the Covid-19 vaccination programme and the spread of the Omicron variant.
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