Apple now requires store and corporate employees to get a COVID-19 booster shot; the company announced in an internal email seen by The Verge.
Once an employee is eligible to get a booster shot; they will have four weeks to comply, otherwise, they will need to take frequent tests to enter a retail store, partner store; or Apple office starting on February 15th.
Apple will require unvaccinated employees — or those who haven’t yet submitted proof of vaccination; — to provide negative COVID-19 rapid antigen tests before entering the workplace beginning on January 24th; although it’s unclear whether this applies to both corporate and retail employees.
“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 states in the memo.
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Last year, Apple asked that unvaccinated corporate employees take daily tests before entering the office; with unvaccinated retail workers testing twice per week.
The company also began requiring vaccinated individuals to take COVID-19 tests once every week, and later lowered the frequency of these tests.
It appears that Apple’s “infrequent” testing policy no longer applies to employees; who don’t receive the booster shot by Apple’s deadline, however.
Earlier this week, Meta said employees will need to get a COVID-19 booster shot ahead of the company’s return to in-office work in March.
While Google hasn’t mandated company-wide booster shots yet; it requires employees to have the first two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, as well as take weekly molecular tests.
