Apple has begun requiring its corporate and store employees to submit proof that they’ve received a COVID-19 vaccine booster, according to a report Monday.
The company’s policy requires workers to provide proof they’ve received a booster within four weeks of becoming eligible. Employees who dodge the booster requirement will reportedly have to submit to frequent COVID-19 testing to enter stores or offices.
“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 an internal email obtained by The Verge.
Starting on Jan. 24, unvaccinated workers will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 rapid test result before entering the workplace. It’s unclear if the requirement applies to both corporate and retail store employees, according to The Verge.
Apple did not immediately return The Post’s request for comment.
The update to Apple’s policy marked the latest instance of an employer changing guidelines during a surge in COVID-19 infections driven by the Omicron variant.
Last week, Facebook’s parent company Meta revealed it would delay its return-to-office plans until the end of March. Additionally, the social media giant said it would require workers to submit proof of receiving a COVID-19 booster before they return to the workplace.
In December, Apple said it would indefinitely postpone its return-to-office plans after originally planning to return in February. The iPhone maker also temporarily shuttered some stores in response to a rise in exposures.
