Amazon to bring workers back to offices
Amazon plans to have its employees return to the office by fall as the tech giant transitions away from the remote work it implemented for many workers due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The company had previously given its returntooffice date as June 30, but questions remained as to whether the company would allow some of its 60,000 Seattlearea office employees to continue working from home part time.
The Seattle Times reports the company told employees Tuesday it is planning a “return to an officecentric culture as our baseline.”
Amazon and Microsoft were among the first large companies to mostly shutter their main offices in the Seattle area during the first COVID19 outbreak in March 2020.
Amazon will not require office workers to receive a COVID19 vaccine before they return, but the company is encouraging employees and contractors to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible, according to Amazon spokesperson Jose Negrete.
Microsoft had previously said it would begin bringing workers back to its suburban Seattle global headquarters on March 29
Seattlebased Zillow announced last summer that it will give its roughly 5,400 employees nationwide the option to work remotely for good.
EUROPE Agency OKs vaccine
The European Medicines Agency says there is “no evidence” that would support restricting use of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine in any population despite reports of rare blood clots associated with the shot. The comments Wednesday by the head of the European Union regulator contradict the advice given a day earlier by an expert panel in Germany that prompted the government there to restrict the use of the shot in people under 60.
HUNGARY Highest COVID death rate
Hungary, which currently has the world’s highest COVID19 death rate, reported a jump in fatalities as the virus situation worsened sharply across most of eastern Europe. The rapid spread of the virus is testing the resolve of the region’s governments to enact even tougher curbs to arrest the more contagious U.K. variant, which is now widespread. Currently 10 out of the 11 countries with the highest level of fatalities as a share of population are from eastern Europe.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban is continuing to ignore a plea by doctors to further tighten virus curbs as understaffed hospitals are overwhelmed by patients. Instead, the government is touting its vaccination campaign, the secondfastest in the European Union, which it has said will allow for most stores to open as soon as next week.
MEXICO
Indirect deaths top 120,000
Many of the over 120,000 excess deaths Mexico suffered so far during the pandemic may have been indirectly caused by the coronavirus, even if those people didn’t die of COVID19, Mexican officials said this week. A “very significant part” of those deaths were people who were suffering heart problems but were too afraid to go the hospital for fear of getting infected, said Dr. Ruy Lopez Ridaura, the country’s director of disease prevention and control.
FRANCE
School closure, travel ban
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a threeweek nationwide school closure and a monthlong domestic travel ban in an effort to fight the rapid spread of the virus. In a televised address to the nation Wednesday night, Macron said efforts are needed as “the epidemic is accelerating.”
The total number of COVID19 patients in intensive care in France surged past 5,000 on Tuesday, the first time in 11 months that the figure has been that high.
WISCONSIN Court strikes mask mandate
The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ statewide mask mandate, ruling the Democrat exceeded his authority by issuing the order. The 43 ruling from the conservativecontrolled court is the latest legal blow to attempts by Evers to control the coronavirus. It comes after Republicans in the Legislature voted to repeal the mask mandate in February, only to see Evers quickly reissue it. The court ruled that any public health emergency issued by Evers is valid for just 60 days and can’t be extended without legislative approval.
ALASKA
Palin positive, touts mask use
People magazine reports that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says she tested positive for the coronavirus and is urging people to guard themselves in the pandemic, such as wearing masks in public. It is not clear when Palin tested positive, but the magazine quotes her as saying other members of her family tested positive, too. According to the magazine, Palin says her case shows that “anyone can catch this.” She urges vigilance and says people should “use common sense” to avoid spreading the coronavirus and other viruses.