Amazon will end on-site COVID testing for warehouse workers, despite a rise in cases fueled by the Delta variant.
In an internal memo, the company notified employees that it will discontinue testing in the US after July 30, The Information reports. Amazon instead suggests that folks take advantage of the "many options available to them, including through health providers and public testing sites."
More than 55% of residents in Amazon's home state of Washington are fully vaccinated, according to data from the Mayo Clinic. But rates are much lower in many other warehouse-heavy states: Numbers are below 40% in Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, for instance, while an average 45% of folks in Texas, Indiana, Arizona, Kentucky, Ohio, Florida, Illinois, and Michigan received their jabs.
"The health and safety of our employees remains our top priority," spokesperson Kim Lafleur told The Seattle TimesThe Seattle Times. "Aligning with updated guidance from the CDC and other public health officials, we are excited about taking the next steps on our path back to normal operations."
Amazon recently launched at-home COVID-19 test collection kits for customers to examine themselves for the virus. The process, which uses a nasal swab, takes less than 20 minutes to complete and is approved for use by individuals 18 years or older. Authorized for emergency use by the FDA, the kits sell for $39.99 and are processed in an Amazon lab.
The e-retailer in January offered to lend a hand with the nationwide vaccine rollout. In return for folks at fulfillment centers, AWS data centers, and Whole Foods receiving the jab "at the earliest appropriate time," the company offered its "operations, information technology, and communications capabilities and expertise" to President Biden.
In partnership with local government and public health officials, the firm in March began rolling out on-site COVID-19 vaccinations for front-line employees—first in Missouri, Nevada, and Kansas, then at locations across the country. Those who got jabbed off-site are eligible for a reward of up to $80.
As of July 19, more than 338 million vaccines have been administered across the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); 56% of the total population has received at least one dose, while 48% are fully vaccinated.
In October, Amazon revealed that nearly 20,000 US employees had contracted COVID-19 since the pandemic began, which represents 1.4% of the company’s total 1.37 million person workforce in the country.