TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The new Taipei City Government announced on Monday (Dec. 28) that it has postponed New Year’s Eve fireworks display indefinitely.

The announcement comes after Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said during a Monday press conference that all outdoor and large-scale activities will have to be postponed until the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, as onsite real-name registration cannot be enforced and effective crowd control is impossible, per CNA.

The mayor expects city government agencies to assess other activities they have planned based on his directive and give him a response within a day.

The global pandemic situation remains grim, as cases of a new virus variant originating from the U.K. said to be more transmissible have been found in neighboring Japan and South Korea, Hou said. In the face of continued imported cases, there should be heightened vigilance and stricter measures taken to deal with the numerous activities scheduled for the year’s end, he added.