Subdued new year celebrations usher out a year like no other and bring hope for 2021

Fireworks explode over the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge as New Year celebrations begin in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. One million people would usually crowd the Sydney Harbor to watch the annual fireworks that center on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Picture: AP Photo/Mark Baker

2020 was a year like no other, and so too were the celebrations to usher out a year that most people will want to forget.

Around the world, the arrival of 2021 was marked not by festivals, street parties, or gatherings, but by high hopes that an end to Covid-19 is now in sight.