The annual World Economic Forum, which is held in Davos, Switzerland every January, has been postponed for the second consecutive year "in light of continued uncertainty over the Omicron outbreak".
"Despite the meeting’s stringent health protocols, the transmissibility of Omicron and its impact on travel and mobility have made deferral necessary," said the organiser.
The WEF is an invitation-only meeting that brings approximately 1,000 great and good chief executives from its member companies, as well as politicians, religious leaders, non-governmental organisations, and some of the media.
As recently as Thursday 16 December, the WEF said it was proceeding with the beanfeast in the Swiss Alps that consists of lectures, panel discussions, dinners, and a lot of parties.
The event has been postponed to early summer 2022 though those invited will instead attend some “state of the world” online sessions in January “to focus on shaping solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.”
WEF executive chairman, Professor Klaus Schwab, reinforced that the postponement “will not prevent progress” as the online meetings can achieve the same outcomes.
This news comes in line with tightening Covid-19 restrictions globally amid growing fears of the transmissibility of the new variant.
For example, The Netherlands entered into a lockdown over the weekend.