Critics Choice Awards postponed amid COVID-19 concerns

Washington [US], December 23 (ANI): As the Omicron variant of COVID-19 continues to spread, the in-person ceremony for the 2022 Critics Choice Awards has been postponed. This follows several other January events that have recently been delayed or cancelled.
As per People magazine, the Critics Choice Association announced the news on Wednesday stating that the televised awards show, which was set to take place in Los Angeles, will no longer take place on January 9.
"After thoughtful consideration and candid conversations with our partners at The CW and TBS, we have collectively come to the conclusion that the prudent and responsible decision at this point is to postpone the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards, originally slated for January 9, 2022," the statement read.
"We are in regular communication with LA County Public Health officials, and we are currently working diligently to find a new date during the upcoming awards season in which to host our annual gala in-person with everyone's safety and health remaining our top priority. We will be sharing additional details with our friends and colleagues throughout the entertainment industry as soon as we can," the statement continued.
The winners were scheduled to be announced during the award ceremony, which was to be hosted by Taye Diggs and Nicole Byer.
'Belfast' and 'West Side Story' lead the nominations with 11 each while 'Dune' and 'The Power of the Dog' followed up with 10 each. For television, 'Succession', 'Mare of Easttown' and 'Evil' emerged as leading nominees.
The decision to postpone the award show came one day after the association said it planned to continue with an in-person ceremony despite the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.
Recently, the CDC expanded its vaccine booster recommendations for those in the US following the arrival of the Omicron variant in North America.
The spread of the variant "further emphasizes the importance of vaccination, boosters, and prevention efforts needed to protect against COVID-19," the CDC said.
"Early data from South Africa suggest increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant, and scientists in the United States and around the world are urgently examining vaccine effectiveness related to this variant," the CDC added.
Last year, the Critics Choice Awards unfolded as a hybrid show with both in-person and virtual appearances. Host Taye Diggs and some of the presenters broadcast from a stage in Los Angeles, while nominees appeared remotely from various locations around the world.
Apart from Critics Choice Awards, the Palm Springs Film Awards has also cancelled its upcoming ceremony for January 6 due to concerns over rising COVID-19 cases. BAFTA's annual Tea Party, set for January 8, was also nixed on Monday.
Also on Wednesday, the Governor Awards ceremony, scheduled for January 15, was postponed. Additionally, the AFI Awards, planned for January 7, have been delayed until a yet-to-be-determined date. (ANI)