Netflix Now Requires Staff, Visitors To Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19

Netflix has mandated that all its employees should get vaccinated against COVID-19. The streaming giant has also decided to only allow visitors who have already gotten the jabs to enter its offices from here on out.

News of Netflix now requiring its staffers and office visitors to be vaccinated amid the ongoing global health crisis was confirmed by Deadline Wednesday. The company’s decision comes in the wake of the reported delta variant spike in many parts of the country.

The streaming service previously became the first major Hollywood studio to impose a blanket policy requiring vaccinations for the cast and crew working on all of its movie and series productions in the U.S. The policy also required everyone who comes into contact with them on the set to be vaccinated as well.

Amid the recent spike in cases, Netflix employees are still allowed to work from home. However, the company’s offices remain open for those who prefer to work there. The requirement of vaccinations for the staff as well as the people visiting them in the offices could potentially help prevent transmissions.

The mandate covers the facilities of the streaming giant in Los Gatos, California, and the Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Employees working in these locations, as well as visitors, will have to show proof of vaccination, according to Variety. A spokesperson for the company declined to respond when asked by the outlet for comment.

Several media companies are opting to delay the return of their workforce to their offices due to the surge in cases. Initially, these firms agreed to have their staffers return to their facilities in September.

Netflix has yet to decide on a date for the official return of its workers to its offices. The majority of the streaming service’s staffers are currently working offsite. It’s also not clear when the new mandate will take into effect, as per The Hollywood Reporter.

Aside from Netflix, Microsoft, Google and Walmart are also requiring all or most of their employees to get COVID-19 vaccines before they can be allowed to return to the office. The mandates of the companies are expected to help curb the further spread of the coronavirus.