Apple is stepping up its efforts to encourage employees to get vaccinated against coronavirus, although it is no longer making vaccines mandatory.
According to one Bloomberg report Friday, Apple has launched a new internal website focused on vaccinations, organizes internal conversations and sent a note to employees. The website, for example, explains the danger of the Delta variant and how a vaccine could help stop its spread. He also emphasized recent FDA vaccine approvals.
“Apple is asking everyone to have access to the vaccine and be able to get vaccinated by doing so as soon as you can,” the note said, which was sent to employees Thursday evening.
In addition, Apple gives vouchers to both employees and their employees to get vaccinated at Walgreens pharmacies as part of a partnership between the two companies. The Cupertino technology giant also offers on-site vaccines at Apple offices in the Bay Area and in Austin, Texas.
Unlike other Silicon Valley companies like Facebook and Google, Apple does not require employees to get vaccinated. Bloomberg reports that Apple has internally cited employee privacy as the reason why it does not require employees to receive their opportunities.
Unlike some tech companies, Apple says it will require employees to return to work in the office at least a few days a week. However, the company has delayed the schedule to return to the office several times. As it stands, Apple withdrew plans to reclaim employees by January 2022.
In early August, Apple also began expanding its optional Covid-19 testing program.