NYC's famed Rockefeller Christmas tree to be viewed from pods under heavy COVID restrictions

New York City mayor Bill de Blasio has enacted a series of restrictive measures to limit people being able to view the famous Christmas tree this year.

De Blasio, along with Tishman Speyer, the company that manages the iconic Rockefeller Center on Manhattan's storied 5th Avenue, have teamed up to create a series of measures that will make the tree-viewing experience a very different one this year.

According to the Wall Street Journal, de Blasio said on Monday, "A different approach, but an approach that will keep people safe. I keep saying and I'll say it again, so we can get through to next year. Next year, I look forward to so many of our traditions to come back so we can be there in person and enjoy them the way we always have and that we cherish."

Here is what tree-viewers can expect this year:

Social distancing: People will have to line up 2 meters apart for limited space to see the tree.

Isolated pods: Viewing groups will be capped at a a maximum of four people per pod, regardless of if they are of the same household or not.

Five minutes only: Viewing turns will be limited to five minutes each.

No lighting ceremony: The public will not be admitted to the tree-lighting ceremony this year, and instead it will be televised.

This year's tree was already under heavy critique for it's scrawny appearance upon its arrival from Oneonta, NY, but it appears to have recovered from the journey since then.

A baby owl had also been found in the tree, which was later transported to a wildlife center in Saugerties, NY. The owl has since been released back into the wild after a brief recuperation in custody.