Switzerland may reintroduce a work-from-home mandate to stop rising COVID-19 cases and limit the spread of the new Omicron variant, the government said after an emergency meeting Tuesday.

The government met to consider the possible mandate and other proposed renewed restrictions amid Omicron, saying in a statement, “The combination of a rapid circulation of the Omicron variant and the already high strain on hospitals could be problematic.”

The government is in talks with regional authorities about the potential work-from-home mandate for the unvaccinated and those who have not had COVID.

It had lifted a similar previous mandate in late June.

Another option up for discussion is a requirement for workers to wear masks in indoor settings.

The government has also proposed reducing the number of people allowed at private gatherings without a certificate showing whether they have been vaccinated, tested or recovered from the virus.

If the measures are approved, they would be in effect until at least Jan. 24.

Switzerland has seen a rise in cases in recent days, with confirmed daily infection numbers similar to peak levels in October and November 2020.

In the past two weeks, the number of new cases has increased by 86,000, officials said.

The country announced Sunday that it had detected its first case of the Omicron variant, which has caused case surges in South Africa.

Though not much is known about Omicron, the World Health Organization designated it as a “variant of concern.”

Still, experts have said that more research is needed to determine whether it causes more serious illness than previous strains.

With Post wires