It’s not the New Year everyone had hoped for.

A rise in COVID-19 cases driven by the new omicron variant once again stifled plans for New Year’s Eve celebrations locally and worldwide. Many planned events were either canceled or scaled back out of concern even as health officials warn against large gatherings for fear of further spikes in COVID-19 cases. Connecticut’s COVID-19 positivity rate surpassed 20% thus week, a new record high.

It’s a disappointment for many who had hoped for a change from last year. Instead, the pandemic has lingered.

Chrys Rosario of New London had been planning something adventurous to celebrate not only New Year’s but her 29th birthday. COVID-19 ruined those plans.

“Initially I had ideas about going to New York City for the ball drop since I had never been,” Rosario said.

It was one of many ideas she had thought about until she got sick, co-workers contracted COVID-19 and “all of that made me realize it's not a good idea to do anything right now.”

She said she also did not want to put her family at risk. New York reported an all-time daily record of positive cases on Thursday, and the Times Square celebration was expected to be limited to a small crowd of vaccinated revelers.

Other folks from the region reached out to The Day to share what some said were plans to stay home, a decision influenced by coronavirus. John Fabrizio said he planned to get takeout from a local restaurant and stay home. Chuck Thompson said he would probably fall asleep before the balls drops.

“Being very senior we have been very cautious of the virus, and our only social life is (doctor's) appointments, grocery shopping at the least crowded times and the Groton library,” Thompson said in a message to The Day.

People choosing to go out may have fewer options for parties than they had a week ago.

Mohegan Sun has postponed a New Year’s Eve concert “due to an abundance of caution.”

The Green Room, a soul food restaurant in New London, has canceled plans for a casino-themed New Year’s Eve party.

“A lot of recent Covid cases have been on the rise and we would rather be safe than sorry,” the restaurant's Facebook post reads. The restaurant was scheduled to be open during regular dinner hours instead.

Just across town, The Social Bar + Kitchen on Bank Street scrapped its plans for a New Year’s Eve Dance Party in favor of regular dinner service — masks required.

The Social’s manager, Sean Murray, said two bands had been slated to perform, but each had band members who tested positive for COVID-19. The Social’s sister bar, the Oasis Pub, also canceled its New Year’s Eve bash and temporarily closed its doors for the week when two employees tested positive.

Murray said the Oasis is a small space and the decision to close was out of an abundance of caution. The Social has a much larger space and a pandemic remodel that opened up more space to allow for even more social distancing.

Other restaurants across the region were taking reservations for what typically is a busy night. At the Breakwater in Stonington, manager Mari Kodama said she anticipates a quieter than normal New Year’s Eve dinner.

“We’ve never done a sort of bar-type scene event,” she said.

Evidence shows that the omicron variant is less severe than the COVID-19 Delta variant and has led to a lower rate of hospitalizations and deaths.

“It’s going to be harsh. It’s going to be like a fast wind blowing through, but it may not be as damaging as it was with delta,” Gov. Ned Lamont said at a news conference on Thursday.

“Tonight’s New Year’s Eve. If you’re not with people you know really well, be extraordinarily careful,” Lamont said on Friday. “Were suffering a spike. … I don’t want to accelerate that.”

g.smith@theday.com