WHO urges cancellation of global holiday events over Omicron spread, Thai government says will continue-for now

National –

The World Health Organization has urged the cancellation of some of the holiday events around the world to protect public health as the Omicron variant spreads globally.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said this morning, December 21st, “An event canceled is better than a life canceled.” Some tough decisions must be made in order to focus on ending this pandemic,” he stated.

Many countries have already canceled the New Year’s celebrations. For instance, New Year’s Eve celebrations in London’s Trafalgar Square, where about 6,500 people would be gathering, have already been canceled for public safety.

Paris has also canceled its New Year’s celebrations while the German government is expected to announce strict restrictions on private parties and nightclub closures, according to the AFP news agency. The Netherlands, which is also in lockdown, has canceled its New Year’s celebrations as well as all events period, including Christmas markets.

Thai Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, responded to the WHO notification this morning, December 21st, that the government would consider the matter with related government agencies.

When being asked if a lockdown was possible, which would basically be Thailand’s fourth if it happened, Anutin only said that the government would do its best to implement measures that could reduce and prevent the pandemic.

As of this afternoon, the government has suspended “Thailand Pass” registration and suspended the “Test & Go” scheme, as well as all sandboxes except for Phuket, to prevent Omicron infections.

The measures are effective immediately but most details and requirements are still unclear and limited. Full details can be observed in the article below:

Thai government suspends “Thailand Pass” registration and cancels “Test & Go” scheme to prevent Omicron infections, effective today

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Nop Meechukhun
National News Writer at The Pattaya News from September 2020 to October 2022. Born and raised in Bangkok, Nop enjoys telling stories of her hometown through her words and pictures. Her educational experience in the United States and her passion for journalism have shaped her genuine interests in society, politics, education, culture, and art.