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Britain urges 'see in New Year safely at home'

On New Year's Eve, the British government is running ads imploring people not to celebrate with anyone outside their household.

The campaign is urging Britons to “see in the New Year safely at home.”

No parties, no hugging strangers, no mass choruses of “Auld Lang Syne.”

Stephen Powis, medical director of the National Health Service in England, says “COVID loves a crowd”.

Most of the country''s population is under lockdown measures to slow the spread of a new, easily transmissible coronavirus strain. Social gatherings involving multiple households are barred. Police will be patrolling to deter groups planning to celebrate or to mark Britain''s final economic split from the European Union. (AP)