Apple to Reportedly Require Covid-19 Booster Shots for Workers

According to an internal email seen by the Verge, Apple will be requiring employees to show proof that they have gotten the additional dose to access its premises if they want to keep their jobs.

Apple would be requiring its retail and corporate employees to get a booster shot once they are eligible for one, according to a report on Saturday. Five months after their first two shots, individuals who received Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna can get a booster. Those who receive the one-dose Johnson & Johnson shot can get boosted two months after the vaccine.

Apple workers will have four weeks to comply with the company's booster requirement once they become eligible, according to the Verge. If employees don't get a booster within that time frame, they will be required to take frequent covid-19 tests to enter an Apple Store, partner store, or Apple office.

Apple stated in an internal email that a booster shot is part of staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccine to protect against severe disease due to waning efficacy of the primary series.

Unvaccinated employees will be required to provide a negative covid-19 rapid antigen test before entering the workplace beginning on January 24, according to the memo. Workers who don't have proof of vaccine will have to follow the testing policy.

We didn't hear back from Apple after we contacted them on Sunday to confirm the report. If someone from the company comes back to us, we will update this article.

Apple would join Meta in requiring covid-19 booster shots for its employees if the internal email is accurate. On Monday, Meta said that employees who are eligible to receive booster shots would need to provide proof of vaccination in order to enter its offices.

A spokesman for Meta told the Wall Street Journal that boosters provide increased protection. We are expanding our requirement to include boosters.

It is not known if employees will be required to get covid-19 booster shots or if they will be required to have a negative covid-19 test. We contacted the company to inquire if it would be requiring covid-19 booster shots for its employees on Sunday.

Amazon is said to be using money to get people to get boosted. The Information reported on Thursday that Amazon was paying its hourly workers and giving them an extra day off to get a booster shot.

Gizmodo reached out to Amazon on Sunday to find out if they planned to require boosters for all employees. If someone from Amazon comes back to us, we will update this article.