Apple delays return to offices by at least one more month due to rising Covid cases

[midian182]

In context: Apple has delayed plans to bring its employees back into the office by one month in light of surging Covid-19 cases worldwide. The company had wanted the majority of its workforce to return for three days per week in September, but that date has now been changed to October at the earliest.

News of the delay comes from Bloomberg, which cites people familiar with the matter. It means Apple has become one of the first US tech giants to alter its plans for a return to in-person work as a result of the highly transmissible Delta variant that originated in India.

The number of global Covid-19 infections reached 190.5 million on Monday, driven by a Delta variant that is also pushing up case numbers in all 50 states. Cases in the US on Sunday were up 140% compared to two weeks earlier, while hospitalizations jumped 34% and deaths were up 33%, according to a New York Times tracker.

While the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and Google have said all or some of their staff can continue working remotely indefinitely, Apple has long been a proponent of in-person work.

"For all that we've been able to achieve while many of us have been separated, the truth is that there has been something essential missing from this past year: each other," CEO Tim Cook wrote in an internal email last month. "Video conference calling has narrowed the distance between us, to be sure, but there are things it simply cannot replicate."

It seems many Apple employees don't share Cook's enthusiasm. The Verge reports that a group of workers in an internal Slack channel for thousands of "remote work advocates" collaborated on a letter addressed to Cook and other company leaders calling for Apple to embrace a remote/location-flexible work policy. Apple's SVP of retail and people, Deirdre O'Brien, responded with: "in-person collaboration is essential to our culture and our future."

Bloomberg writes that Apple is testing a hybrid in-store and work-from-home arrangement for retail employees, a result of more consumers opting for online shopping even as restrictions lift. Office workers, meanwhile, will be given a month's warning before they'll be expected to return.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/90485-apple-delays-return-offices-least-one-month-due.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

What difference does it make?

We're walking round without masks and into enclosed spaces already.

 

[gigantor21]

What difference does it make?

We're walking round without masks and into enclosed spaces already.

Who is "we"? LOL

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Who is "we"? LOL

The 90% of america that isnt in the 5 burroughs or NYC. And somehow we havent all died of the super coof yet.

 

[Dimitriid]

I honestly think most of their employees can remain remote for the better part of the week, permanently. Since the pandemic started workers have shown that the need for "accountability" and such has always been nonsense: people were just as productive if not more productive without having their bosses breathing down their necks and saving a ton of money and time on commuting.

Even team work can be trimmed down to a few weekly meetings while the rest of the communications work just fine remotely.

 

[duckofdeath]

I honestly think most of their employees can remain remote for the better part of the week, permanently. Since the pandemic started workers have shown that the need for "accountability" and such has always been nonsense: people were just as productive if not more productive without having their bosses breathing down their necks and saving a ton of money and time on commuting.

Even team work can be trimmed down to a few weekly meetings while the rest of the communications work just fine remotely.

My employer doesn't even have a physical office able to fit us all any more. Not sure if there are any legal issues there, but hey, it's cheap for the employer as we, the employees gets to pay for all the electricity and office space. Win-win...

...Waaaait a minute!.....

 

[Theinsanegamer]

My employer doesn't even have a physical office able to fit us all any more. Not sure if there are any legal issues there, but hey, it's cheap for the employer as we, the employees gets to pay for all the electricity and office space. Win-win...

...Waaaait a minute!.....

Oh just wait until they introduce BYOD so you get to pay for your own hardware too!

I honestly think most of their employees can remain remote for the better part of the week, permanently. Since the pandemic started workers have shown that the need for "accountability" and such has always been nonsense: people were just as productive if not more productive without having their bosses breathing down their necks and saving a ton of money and time on commuting.

Even team work can be trimmed down to a few weekly meetings while the rest of the communications work just fine remotely.

Am I the only one who sees an issue here? If you can do your whole job remote, why dont they just hire some indians or chinese for $1 a day?

 

[ckm88]

My company wants to do a 3 day in-office work week for the people that HAVE to go in. I work cybersec so I'm already 100% remote, thank god.

 

[mbrowne5061]

Am I the only one who sees an issue here? If you can do your whole job remote, why dont they just hire some indians or chinese for $1 a day?

Because you still get what you pay for. It's all a cycle:

1. Someone in management wants to save money, so they off-shore the work - quality goes down drastically, and customers leave for greener pastures.
2. Someone in management wants to attract more customers, so they on-shore the work to improve quality - quality goes back up, customers return, and so do costs.
3. Someone in management want to save money...

Companies that off-shore their white collar work inevitably end up bringing it back home within a few years.

 

[Squid Surprise]

The 90% of america that isnt in the 5 burroughs or NYC. And somehow we havent all died of the super coof yet.

And it’s that attitude that has made case numbers rise... and deaths...
If everyone would, at the least, wear a mask when indoors and get vaccinated, then this would never have become an issue.

But apparently, there is a large segment of the population who either thinks that “Covid is over” or worse, “Covid was never really a threat in the first place”.

What really sucks is that those people will probably remain healthy - but they’ll infect tons of others and will never realize that they are the reason that they are trapped in quarantine....

 

[VaRmeNsI]

And it’s that attitude that has made case numbers rise... and deaths...
If everyone would, at the least, wear a mask when indoors and get vaccinated, then this would never have become an issue.

But apparently, there is a large segment of the population who either thinks that “Covid is over” or worse, “Covid was never really a threat in the first place”.

What really sucks is that those people will probably remain healthy - but they’ll infect tons of others and will never realize that they are the reason that they are trapped in quarantine....

Corona viruses have been around for ages and will continue to be so, even this bio-engineered variant, get with the times.

 

[Squid Surprise]

Corona viruses have been around for ages and will continue to be so, even this bio-engineered variant, get with the times.

Yes - but this one is far deadlier and more infectious. YOU should get with the times - and maybe do some basic research on diseases and realize that just because something is related to something else, doesn’t mean that it might still be very different

 

[Tantor]

Yes - but this one is far deadlier and more infectious. YOU should get with the times - and maybe do some basic research on diseases and realize that just because something is related to something else, doesn’t mean that it might still be very different

Not quite true.

It has a survival rate of 99.8%. Sure, they claim 500k+ deaths. What you need to know is that 95% of all deaths are people who have 2.6 or more co-morbidities. Essentially, most people who die were already near death's door. If you are under 70 and don't have any of the associated morbidities, then your chance of dying is very slim.

Spanish Flu was far more serious than CV19.

 

[havok585]

Yes - but this one is far deadlier and more infectious. YOU should get with the times - and maybe do some basic research on diseases and realize that just because something is related to something else, doesn’t mean that it might still be very different

Just no.

More infectious? yea, deadlier No.

Common flu (influenza) is much deadlier than this covid "pandemic".

 

[Nobina]

The coof is never going away. Can't help but laugh at people who thought wearing masks and getting vaccinated will make it go away only to be dissaponted that it's making a comeback, variant after variant. The best you can do is not pay attention.

 

[TheBigFatClown]

SS is very pro vax. If they convince him that he needs a vaccine shot every 6 months to live safely on the planet he'll be first in line. Glad to see a majority of the people in this thread can see through the bull5hi7. I wont have to post as much.
It's the same old song and dance. Cases and cases and cases. But do you hear about death? Nope, hardly. Well, anecdotal stories, of course, because they're scary real stories. Do they tell you the case fatality rate of new deaths to cases and the demographics of these deaths? Nope. Crickets.

 

[Toju Mikie]

These companies have to justify their expensive real estate purchases, and telling workers to go back to work is one way to do it, even though it's a waste of money and office space, since the jobs can be done fully remote.


anyway, workers have the power now
If an employer does something that workers don't like (return to office), then employees have the right to quit and even collectively bargain and even unionize. Use this opportunity to strike back and demand better treatment for all workers.

 

[VaRmeNsI]

Yes - but this one is far deadlier and more infectious. YOU should get with the times - and maybe do some basic research on diseases and realize that just because something is related to something else, doesn’t mean that it might still be very different

 

[Squid Surprise]

Not quite true.

It has a survival rate of 99.8%. Sure, they claim 500k+ deaths. What you need to know is that 95% of all deaths are people who have 2.6 or more co-morbidities. Essentially, most people who die were already near death's door. If you are under 70 and don't have any of the associated morbidities, then your chance of dying is very slim.

Spanish Flu was far more serious than CV19.

It doesn’t - the fatality rate has become substantially higher - but for those who are vaccinated, your % is fairly accurate. And yes, it kills more often if you are elderly and have other conditions - as does every other disease on Earth.

Spanish flu - aka influenza - killed more people 100 years ago... if Covid hit back then, we’d be seeing far worse.

The proof: Influenza still exists now! And while it can still be very serious, it hasn’t killed nearly as many as Covid these past 18 months.

Vaccines work - ever hear of anyone dying of measles or mumps? Smallpox? Polio? It doesn’t happen too often anymore - because of medical science.

Hopefully in a few years, we’ll speak of Covid the same way we speak of those diseases: it was terrible, but now we are safe from it.

Alas, because of people like you, it won’t be as soon as it could be...

 

[TheBigFatClown]

It doesn’t - the fatality rate has become substantially higher - but for those who are vaccinated, your % is fairly accurate. And yes, it kills more often if you are elderly and have other conditions - as does every other disease on Earth.

Spanish flu - aka influenza - killed more people 100 years ago... if Covid hit back then, we’d be seeing far worse.

The proof: Influenza still exists now! And while it can still be very serious, it hasn’t killed nearly as many as Covid these past 18 months.

Vaccines work - ever hear of anyone dying of measles or mumps? Smallpox? Polio? It doesn’t happen too often anymore - because of medical science.

Hopefully in a few years, we’ll speak of Covid the same way we speak of those diseases: it was terrible, but now we are safe from it.

Alas, because of people like you, it won’t be as soon as it could be...

People like him and me. We no longer number in the thousands but the millions because of crazy 5hi7 like lockdowns and putting masks on 3 year children. Sorry, they're proving that is all counter productive. You dont ask a 3 year old to wear a mask because he might spread germs.

I have a question for you. 16 months into this man made pandemic and were not all dead yet...how come? Maybe because the vaccines aren't the only mechanism for developing immunity? Ah, now were talking. Millions of healthy young people and children have already most likely developed natural lifetime immunity against this virus. And the immunity is superior to what you get with a rushed vaccine.
Reports of myocarditis are fact. Reports of Gullian Barre syndrome are fact. Blood clotting and even deaths from getting vaccinated. There's way more data and science to suggest that vaccines are basically a shot-in-the-dark these days.

Even if the virus were more deadly than it actually was and is there are a thousand different ways to handle a pandemic that doesn't destroy thousands of lives in the process.

But you dont see the suicides, the alcoholism, the family abuse, the unemployment, the dumbing down of future generations. Those lives dont matter.

If hotspots are a thing they should have locked down the hot spots. But in the end it's all a load of bull to increase vaccine dependency and steal freedoms. And that translates into money and power.

 

[Squid Surprise]

People like him and me. We no longer number in the thousands but the millions because of crazy 5hi7 like lockdowns and putting masks on 3 year children. Sorry, they're proving that is all counter productive. You dont ask a 3 year old to wear a mask because he might spread germs.

I have a question for you. 16 months into this man made pandemic and were not all dead yet...how come? Maybe because the vaccines aren't the only mechanism for developing immunity? Ah, now were talking. Millions of healthy young people and children have already most likely developed natural lifetime immunity against this virus. And the immunity is superior to what you get with a rushed vaccine.
Reports of myocarditis are fact. Reports of Gullian Barre syndrome are fact. Blood clotting and even deaths from getting vaccinated. There's way more data and science to suggest that vaccines are basically a shot-in-the-dark these days.

Even if the virus were more deadly than it actually was and is there are a thousand different ways to handle a pandemic that doesn't destroy thousands of lives in the process.

But you dont see the suicides, the alcoholism, the family abuse, the unemployment, the dumbing down of future generations. Those lives dont matter.

If hotspots are a thing they should have locked down the hot spots. But in the end it's all a load of bull to increase vaccine dependency and steal freedoms. And that translates into money and power.

I don’t think you actually understand what a pandemic is and does... no disease on Earth ever threatened to kill the ENTIRE population of the planet... even the Black Death ”only” killed about 1/3 - 1/2 of Europe...

The reason that MORE people aren’t dead, however, is because most countries went into lockdowns, encouraged masking, and now have begun vaccinating their populations!

As for side effects - yes, there are some. However, the ones you are talking about are NOT from the mRNA vaccines but from Astra Zeneca and Johnson & Johnson. And they are still less risky than actually catching covid.

The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer or Moderna, on the other hand, are well over 90% effective and are quite safe.

As for destroying lives - people are quite resilient. Human populations have endured FAR worse during pandemics of the past. You know that during medieval times, they used to isolate and even burn down entire villages when plague hit.

Fortunately, we live in an age where we can develop and distribute vaccines within a year - we should be applauding medical science, not scorning them as evil. Thanks to them, we will be able to go back to “normal” within a year or so, instead of a decade and will only lose a few million people instead of tens or hundreds of millions.

Again, it would be even less awful if everyone embraced the medical science community - instead of having anti-vaxxers endanger more lives and prolong this calamity.

 

[TheBigFatClown]

I don’t think you actually understand what a pandemic is and does... no disease on Earth ever threatened to kill the ENTIRE population of the planet... even the Black Death ”only” killed about 1/3 - 1/2 of Europe...

The reason that MORE people aren’t dead, however, is because most countries went into lockdowns, encouraged masking, and now have begun vaccinating their populations!

As for side effects - yes, there are some. However, the ones you are talking about are NOT from the mRNA vaccines but from Astra Zeneca and Johnson & Johnson. And they are still less risky than actually catching covid.

The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer or Moderna, on the other hand, are well over 90% effective and are quite safe.

As for destroying lives - people are quite resilient. Human populations have endured FAR worse during pandemics of the past. You know that during medieval times, they used to isolate and even burn down entire villages when plague hit.

Fortunately, we live in an age where we can develop and distribute vaccines within a year - we should be applauding medical science, not scorning them as evil. Thanks to them, we will be able to go back to “normal” within a year or so, instead of a decade and will only lose a few million people instead of tens or hundreds of millions.

Again, it would be even less awful if everyone embraced the medical science community - instead of having anti-vaxxers endanger more lives and prolong this calamity.

How can I understand what a pandemic is if the WHO keeps changing the definition every so many years so that more pandemics can be declared? It makes it hard when people keep moving the goal posts.

Oh, so you're a numbers guy. You have no cares for the millions dead because it's better than tens of millions. I see. You're a real piece of work.

You made no comments whatsoever about the reason you want young healthy people who have already developed natural robust lifelong immunity against a virus that kills virtually nobody to be vaccinated. You falsely gave all credit to the vaccines and lockdowns for saving all lives. Study after study shows that lockdowns and mask didn't do anything for anybody.

The false narrative that people like you keep pushing is that a spreading virus is a bad thing. You just said you're okay with millions dying if it saves tens of millions. So why do you constantly pressure people to get vaxxed like a German Nazi if 70% of the sheep have already done their duty?

You're a vaccine junkie to the death, that's for sure. Good luck to you.

 

[Squid Surprise]

How can I understand what a pandemic is if the WHO keeps changing the definition every so many years so that more pandemics can be declared? It makes it hard when people keep moving the goal posts.

Please, feel free to provide some evidence for this... the definition of a pandemic has NOT changed. It has ALWAYS meant an infectious disease that has spread across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of people.

If you truly think that Covid ISN'T a pandemic, please provide some evidence for this.

Oh, so you're a numbers guy. You have no cares for the millions dead because it's better than tens of millions. I see. You're a real piece of work.

No... I care TREMENDOUSLY about the millions who are dead - hence my desire for everyone to get vaccinated and prevent more loss of life! I simply pointed out that we are lucky to be living NOW when a pandemic only costs a few million lives instead of living 100 years ago when a pandemic cost over 100 million lives - a pandemic of a disease that was (and still is) actually LESS dangerous than Covid!!

You made no comments whatsoever about the reason you want young healthy people who have already developed natural robust lifelong immunity against a virus that kills virtually nobody to be vaccinated. You falsely gave all credit to the vaccines and lockdowns for saving all lives. Study after study shows that lockdowns and mask didn't do anything for anybody.

Because there is ZERO evidence that young healthy people have developed a lifelong immunity to Covid!! Please provide some evidence for this please!
Also, I'd love to see some of your studies that prove that lockdowns and masks didn't work - every study I've seen shows the exact opposite.

Here's a fact check of your nonsense

Fact check: Studies do show face masks and lockdowns slow the spread of COVID-19

Social media users have been sharing posts online that claim there is no evidence that face masks or lockdowns slow the spread of COVID-19. This claim is false.

www.reuters.com

The false narrative that people like you keep pushing is that a spreading virus is a bad thing. You just said you're okay with millions dying if it saves tens of millions. So why do you constantly pressure people to get vaxxed like a German Nazi if 70% of the sheep have already done their duty?

You're a vaccine junkie to the death, that's for sure. Good luck to you.

I didn't - you simply misunderstood and misquoted me. I (and most responsible governments throughout the world) want everyone who can, to get vaccinated as soon as possible. This will not cost lives - it will save them!

Again, all you have to do is look around and do some basic Google searches - and ask yourself why every country vaccinates against so many diseases. No, it's not some conspiracy - to what end?!?! It's to keep dangerous diseases from spreading and killing people!

Please, show me a study that vaccinations, lockdowns and masks have killed more people than Covid... I await your evidence...

 

[TheBigFatClown]

Please, feel free to provide some evidence for this... the definition of a pandemic has NOT changed. It has ALWAYS meant an infectious disease that has spread across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of people.

If you truly think that Covid ISN'T a pandemic, please provide some evidence for this.

No... I care TREMENDOUSLY about the millions who are dead - hence my desire for everyone to get vaccinated and prevent more loss of life! I simply pointed out that we are lucky to be living NOW when a pandemic only costs a few million lives instead of living 100 years ago when a pandemic cost over 100 million lives - a pandemic of a disease that was (and still is) actually LESS dangerous than Covid!!

Because there is ZERO evidence that young healthy people have developed a lifelong immunity to Covid!! Please provide some evidence for this please!
Also, I'd love to see some of your studies that prove that lockdowns and masks didn't work - every study I've seen shows the exact opposite.

Here's a fact check of your nonsense

Fact check: Studies do show face masks and lockdowns slow the spread of COVID-19

Social media users have been sharing posts online that claim there is no evidence that face masks or lockdowns slow the spread of COVID-19. This claim is false.

www.reuters.com

I didn't - you simply misunderstood and misquoted me. I (and most responsible governments throughout the world) want everyone who can, to get vaccinated as soon as possible. This will not cost lives - it will save them!

Again, all you have to do is look around and do some basic Google searches - and ask yourself why every country vaccinates against so many diseases. No, it's not some conspiracy - to what end?!?! It's to keep dangerous diseases from spreading and killing people!

Please, show me a study that vaccinations, lockdowns and masks have killed more people than Covid... I await your evidence...

Oh, the irony. There's no proof that vaccines grant lifelong immunity to "anybody" hence the reason we're already hearing about booster shots. Yet, you want ME to provide proof of life-long immunity. LoL. Nice.

You want who to get vaccinated as soon as possible?? The young people who now have myocarditis? The people with Gullian Barre syndrome? Your brain isn't working. I think you're being paid by the drug companies. It's hard to believe people like you exist. The vaccine, the whole vaccine, and nothing but the vaccine so help you Bill Gates? I'm too tired for this. Keep proofing your own truth. Good luck to you.

 

[Squid Surprise]

Oh, the irony. There's no proof that vaccines grant lifelong immunity to "anybody" hence the reason we're already hearing about booster shots. Yet, you want ME to provide proof of life-long immunity. LoL. Nice.

You want who to get vaccinated as soon as possible?? The young people who now have myocarditis? The people with Gullian Barre syndrome? Your brain isn't working. I think you're being paid by the drug companies. It's hard to believe people like you exist. The vaccine, the whole vaccine, and nothing but the vaccine so help you Bill Gates? I'm too tired for this. Keep proofing your own truth. Good luck to you.

So reading comprehension isn't your strong point.... I'd like you to re-read (see: actually read) my previous posts. I'm responding to your ridiculous claims - please feel free to provide proof of them... otherwise, stop being a part of the problem and get vaccinated - or at the least, stop trying to convince others to buy into your nonsense.