Google mandates weekly COVID-19 tests for people entering US offices

The Alphabet Inc. Google said that it is temporarily implementing weekly COVID-19 testing for anybody accessing Google headquarters or facilities in the United States. Anyone entering Google's US offices will be subjected to a negative test and will be compelled to wear surgical-grade masks while at work, according to the firm. "We're introducing additional temporary health and safety safeguards for everyone using our sites in the United States to help limit the spread of COVID-19 during this period of heightened risk," a Google spokeswoman said.

Google provides its employees, dependents, and household members with free at-home and in-person testing. The interim weekly testing policy is implemented as instances of the highly infectious Omicron strain of the coronavirus increase in the country.

Google said last month that it would postpone its worldwide return-to-office plan beginning in January due to mounting worries over Omicron. According to a CNBC story, Google, one of the first corporations to require its workers to work from home during the epidemic, informed its staff they would lose pay and potentially be fired if they did not follow its COVID-19 immunisation regulations.

Also Read | Google employees may lose pay, get fired for not complying with vaccination rules: Report

Earlier, Google has warned its employees that they may lose their jobs if they do not comply with its Covid-19 immunisation policy. According to a statement delivered by leadership, employees had until December 3 to reveal their vaccination status, present proof of immunisation, or request a medical or religious exemption. Following that date, the business announced that it would contact employees who had not reported their status or who were unvaccinated, as well as those whose exemption requests had been denied. According to sources, employees who fail to meet immunisation requirements by the January 18 deadline will be placed on "paid administrative leave" for 30 days. They will then be placed on "unpaid personal leave" for six months before being fired.

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• COVID-19
• Google
• masks
• Omicron
• Delta
• vaccine