Facebook parent companies Meta, Twitter and Pinterest said on Tuesday that they will not send a team to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next month due to growing concerns about Omicron’s coronavirus variants.

T-Mobile, a US wireless operator and conference sponsor, also stated that the vast majority of its personnel will no longer attend, and its CEO will no longer deliver keynote speeches in person or in a virtual manner. Other companies have no plans to hold large face-to-face gatherings at the show.

T-Mobile said: “Although we believe that CES organizers are taking detailed measures to protect the participants on site, we have made this decision to prioritize the safety of our team and other participants,” T-Mobile said. In the past, CES attracted more than 180,000 people to attend a series of casinos and conference spaces from all over the world to Las Vegas as an annual showcase of new trends and gadgets in the technology industry.

The Consumer Technology Association, which operates CES, said on Tuesday that the show will be held from January 5 to January 8. The association stated that health precautions will include vaccination requirements, masks and the availability of COVID-19 tests.

Twitter had planned to let some employees participate in group discussions. Both Twitter and Facebook said they are now exploring virtual opportunities. Even before the cancellation, Pinterest planned to shrink the meeting area for its sales and partner teams in the past few years.

Many companies, including Qualcomm, Sony, Alphabet’s Google, and the self-driving car division Waymo, have stated that they are currently advancing, planning to participate and demonstrate new hardware or hold conferences. General Motors said on Tuesday that CEO Mary Barra still plans to introduce the American automaker’s electric Silverado pickup at the January 5 meeting and personally discuss the company’s strategy.

Other companies have long planned for virtual presentations, including chip maker Nvidia, where two executives from the company gave keynote speeches via video.

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