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'It's So Eerie': Downtown Baltimore Quiet As COVID-19 Dampens New Year's Eve Celebrations

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The COVID-19 pandemic kept the usual crowds from gathering at Baltimore's Inner Harbor and other hotspots, but that didn't stop people from saying goodbye to 2020.

Restaurants, normally packed, found creative ways to ring in the new year. At Choptank, the kitchen was put on wheels and the cocktails were made to-go so people can sip their drinks at home.

"After the city got shut down, we decided we had to do something... so we decided, 'Hey, let's just open up a food truck and bring the community out again," assistant manager Jordan Kolodziejski said.

Because of COVID-19, both indoor and outdoor dining are banned in Baltimore, forcing Choptank and others to find new ways to stay afloat.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: 

People walked through Fells Point Thursday night just to see if anything was going on.

new years eve fells point
Streets in Baltimore's Fells Point neighborhood are nearly empty on New Year's Eve.

"It is so eerie and quiet," Kristina Diiorio said. "I'm shocked; it's like a ghost town."

Diiorio planned to return home shortly afterward.

"What else is there to do? I don't know!" she said.

With 2020 coming to an end, many are hoping next year looks a little different.

"Hopefully 2021 is a lot less weird than this," Sam Latter said.

For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.

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