Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health will propose to the cabinet, at its first meeting of the New Year, that it considers resuming working from home, for government officials, as a pre-emptive measure to reduce the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, which is expected to spike as people travel and gather together during the long New Year holidays.

Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha said today (Tuesday) that, in the first two weeks of January, health officials will receive reports of new Omicron variant infections and be able to assess the situation to determine whether it warrants resumption of working from home.

He admitted that it is impossible to prevent people from gathering together during the New Year break and becoming exposed to infection, even though the Ministry of Public Health has urged everyone to avoid crowded places and to protect themselves.

If the infection rate is manageable, the government may not need to impose new restrictions, said the deputy minister, adding that the situation will not be as bad as that experienced in April, after the Songkran festival, even if there are more Omicron cases, because the variant is less dangerous than Delta.

Sathit also said that the government has been trying hard to contain the spread of the Omicron variant to prevent it affecting public confidence and sentiment.