Apple To Require Proof Of COVID Booster Shot For Store And Corporate Employees

Apple Inc AAPL has asked its store as well as corporate employees to get a COVID-19 booster shot. 

Apple will require unvaccinated employees to provide negative COVID-19 rapid antigen tests before entering the workplace beginning Jan. 24. 

Additionally, if an employee is eligible to get a booster shot, they will have four weeks to comply. Otherwise, they will need to take frequent COVID tests to enter the workplace starting on Feb. 15.

“Due to waning efficacy of the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines and the emergence of highly transmissible variants such as Omicron, a booster shot is now part of staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccination to protect against severe disease,” Apple said in the statement.

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As cases of the omicron variant rapidly spread across the U.S., numerous companies are taking steps to  safeguard their employees by mandating vaccinations and pushing for booster doses.  

Meta Platforms Inc FB has already mandated COVID-19 booster shots for all workers returning to offices. The company has also delayed office reopening until March 28, from an earlier plan of Jan. 31.

Meanwhile, Alphabet Inc's GOOGL Google has said that it is temporarily mandating weekly COVID-19 tests for people entering its U.S. offices.
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