Apple is launching a program that will provide COVID-19 vaccinations to its employees at Apple offices, reports Bloomberg. Apple is teaming up with Walgreens Boots Alliance to provide the shots, and employees will be able to sign up on a website that Apple will soon roll out.
Apple in March promised time off for employees who need to recover from getting vaccinated, but at the time said that it did not have a way to provide vaccinations. With vaccine availability expanding widely in the United States, Apple is now able to provide additional help to employees who still need the vaccine.
In California, where Apple's main corporate campuses are located, all individuals over the age of 16 have been eligible for a vaccine since April 15. Demand in the Bay Area is high, however, and it can be difficult for individuals living in and around Cupertino to conveniently get vaccinated.
Apple's vaccination program is voluntary, and Apple is offering sick leave for employees who need time to recover from symptoms after receiving the vaccine.
With employees able to be vaccinated, Apple may also be able to get them back in offices sooner, though Bloomberg says the company has not asked employees to return nor has it set a firm date for employees to return after getting vaccinated. Apple CEO Tim Cook has, however, told employees that a large number of them will begin returning in June.
Back in March, Cook said that he "can't wait" for employees to return to the office as person-to-person interactions are essential for generating new ideas. "Innovation isn't always a planned activity," Cook said. "It's bumping into each other over the course of the day and advancing an idea that you just had. And you really need to be together to do that."
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