Virus cutting into New Year's plans

COVID-19 foils plans to ring in 2022

Health officials advise it's best to ring in 2022 as safely as you can. The reason: you guessed it. COVID-19.

SAN FRANCISCO - The coronavirus has forced many people to toss their New Year's plans, while others are trying to adapt.

"We’re going to give it the best go that we can, given everything that’s been thrown at us," said Pete Sittnick, managing partner of the Waterbar restaurant in San Francisco.

Thanks to the omicron variant, there won’t be any fireworks along the San Francisco waterfront. Some Bay Area restaurants are canceling parties, but not Waterbar.

"It is a little bit of a fluid situation," Sittnick said.

He said it’s some guests who are a no-go.

"It’s typically some people either have tested positive or have guests in their party that have tested positive for COVID, he said.

"I understand the safety issues," said John Palowitch, a sax player who along with his band were supposed to perform at a hotel in Oakland’s Uptown.

They'll have wait until 2022.

"We already have some plans. We have recording plans. We have gigs lined up, so we're going to again, roll with the punches," Palowitch said.

And reveling in relative isolation, health experts say, is for the better, given the omicron variant.

"It's been a rough year. I know people want to get together, they miss each other and they miss company," said Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Contra Costa County public health director.

But Tzvieli said people should stay home and not gather in public spaces.

"It’s really the safest thing. If you are going to gather, keep it small, wear masks if it’s people that aren’t already in your cohort or your pod," Tzvieli said.

And if you’re so inclined, pop out those COVID tests with the party favors.

"If you can get a hold of them, do some antigen tests before you gather so you know, to make sure you don’t have someone who’s actively infectious coming into your gathering," he said.