Travel bans and remote working policies have been introduced in recent days and offices have been closed, as companies to try and protect employees from COVID-19. Twitter , Amazon, Google, Goldman Sachs, and Nike are among the global businesses that have introduced extra measures.
The precautions come as infection numbers continue to rise and staff at Amazon, Google, and Nike tested positive for COVID-19.
Two employees at Amazon Italy tested positive for the virus on Monday, while a Google staffer at the firm’s Zurich office reportedly tested positive and a Nike employee in Europe has contracted COVID-19.
Additional measures have been introduced by each company in response.
Staff at Amazon have been told not to travel domestically or internationally until further notice and job interviews at Amazon are also being changed from face-to-face to video conferences. A spokesperson declined to comment on the measures.
Google is also restricting staff travel to Iran, parts of Italy, South Korea, and Japan. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Nike has closed both its Oregon headquarters and its European headquarters in Amsterdam for deep cleaning. A spokesperson said the deep cleaning was “out of an abundance of caution”. A coronavirus case has been recorded in a city near Nike’s Beaverton, Oregon, headquarters.
Even companies so far untouched by infections are taking precautions. Twitter said in a blog on Sunday it was “suspending all non-critical business travel and events” as part of efforts to ensure “the health and safety of our employees and partners is not compromised.”
Travel restrictions to Italy, South Korea, and China are in place at Facebook (FB) and the company last week cancelled its F8 developer conference.
“Our priority is the health and safety of our teams,” a Facebook spokesperson said. “We continue to monitor the situation and update our guidance to employees.”