Walt Disney World will require most of its employees to get coronavirus vaccine – Tampa Bay Times

Add Disney to the lineup of companies that will require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

At the Walt Disney Company, the safety and well-being of our employees during the pandemic has been and continues to be a top priority, the company said in a statement. Toward that end, and based on the latest recommendations of scientists, health officials and our own medical professionals that the COVID-19 vaccine provides the best protection against severe infection, we are requiring that all salaried and non-union hourly employees in the U.S. working at any of our sites be fully vaccinated.

Netflix, Google and Facebook also announced this week that employees working in their offices will need the coronavirus vaccine.

Disney employees have 60 days to complete their protocols and any employees still working from home will need to provide verification of vaccination prior to their return, the companys message said. Disney employees overseas are not included in the policy, and the company is still negotiating with its unions, a spokeswoman said.

All new hires will be required to be fully vaccinated before beginning employment, Disneys announcement said. Vaccines are the best tool we all have to help control this global pandemic and protect our employees.

Earlier this week, Walt Disney World announced that starting this weekend, all of its visitors will be required to wear a face mask when indoors, including in lines for rides, and on park transportation. Its a reversal from just last month, when the parks had dropped that requirement for vaccinated guests.

The policy change comes on the heels of new federal health guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that even vaccinated Americans should resume wearing masks indoors if they are in areas with high or substantial transmissibility of the COVID-19 virus.

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Walt Disney World will require most of its employees to get coronavirus vaccine - Tampa Bay Times