Image Source: Getty / Per Breiehagen [1]

With more and more families canceling holiday plans due to surges in COVID-19 cases thanks to the Omicron variant, another rising concern is whether Santa Claus will be able to carry out his annual trip around the world this Christmas Eve.

When asked during a press conference on Monday whether the ongoing pandemic [2] would affect Santa's course — or the ability for government officials to track it — Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby assured parents and children that they're on the case. The North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) will continue to keep tabs on Kris Kringle's whereabouts this year, just as they have without fail since the program first began in 1955.

Reporter: "The NORAD Track Santa program [...] Are you going to have enough people to handle that program?"@PentagonPresSec [3]: "My understanding is that they absolutely will be tracking Santa this year. We have all kinds of capabilities to do that [...] He will be kept safe." pic.twitter.com/ghWATSVL3g [4]

— The Hill (@thehill) December 20, 2021 [5]

"I would refer you to NORAD NORTHCOM for specifics, but my understanding is that they absolutely will be tracking Santa this year," Kirby said. "We have all kinds of capabilities to do that."

Of Santa's safety, Kirby was confident: "He will be kept safe. Of course, he will be."

For those eager to track Santa's flight path, NORAD will launch its tracker on the morning of Dec. 24 at 4 a.m. ET. It can be viewed online [6], or families can call 1-877-HI-NORAD [7] for updates.