Apple Implementing COVID-19 Prevention Measures as Employees Return to Work - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Implementing COVID-19 Prevention Measures as Employees Return to Work

As employees begin returning to work at Apple's Apple Park and Infinite Loop campuses, Apple is implementing COVID-19 prevention measures that include testing, social distancing, and temperature checks, reports Bloomberg.

appleparkempty
Some employees, such as hardware and software engineers, began returning to ‌Apple Park‌ in May. Some of the people who are working at the campus are doing so for just a few days a week, with Apple limiting the number of people allowed in closed spaces, such as elevators.

Employees who return to the campus are being provided with an option to take a coronavirus nasal-swab test, while temperature checks are mandatory. Apple has closed many of its break room kitchens, and is asking employees to wear masks through posted signs.

‌Apple Park‌ features large open work spaces where employees worked in close proximity, but Bloomberg says that Apple is going to need to make changes to bring the rest of its workforce back to the campus. For now, some employees are continuing to work from home.

Apple's head of retail and people Deirdre O'Brien told employees in May that the return to Apple's campuses worldwide would be done in phases over the course of a few months. The first phase, in which some employees are returning, is in progress now.

A second phase in July will see more employees return to work, though Apple has said that its plans are fluid and may change based on local and state stay-at-home orders.

Apple has also begun reopening its Apple retail locations worldwide, and in the United States, more than 100 stores are open. Many of these locations are limited to device pickups and repairs.

Popular Stories

iOS 28 AI

Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28

Sunday November 8, 2026 7:42 am PST by
Apple has made a change to its development process for iOS 28, macOS 28, and corresponding software updates, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, he said Apple separates development of each year's new operating systems into three major stages. Typically, he said each stage consists of four weeks of coding followed by a four-week "convergence" period where...
duo aquarium

More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try

Friday November 6, 2026 3:27 pm PST by
When the iPhone Duo launched, we shared a list of some of the fun apps developers created for the new form factor. Two weeks out, developers are continuing to come up with fresh ideas, so we thought we'd share some of our favorites. Games Marbles Unhinged ($2.99) - Marbles Unhinged is a marble maze designed for the Duo. When you fold it, the floor turns into a ramp. If you stand the top...
apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products Today

Thursday November 5, 2026 12:59 am PST by
Apple is launching five new products on Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from today: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
84 months ago

As employees begin returning to work at Apple's Apple Park and Infinite Loop campuses, Apple is implementing COVID-19 prevention measures that include testing, social distancing, and temperature checks, reports Bloomberg ('https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-04/apple-offering-covid-19-testing-to-staff-returning-to-offices').
I really don't know how socially distant you can get at Apple Park…

Unless—



Attachment Image
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Erehy Dobon Avatar
84 months ago
Apple isn't forcing anything. They are following guidelines set by the County of Santa Clara (SCC) Public Health Officer, specifically as it pertains to essential business operations in offices.

But don't listen to me, go knock yourself out on the original SCC document:

https://www.sccgov.org/sites/covid19/Pages/public-health-orders.aspx#businesses

which actually uses Google and Apple as examples. Just use Command-F and search for "goog" or "apple" in your web browser.

This is an amended document from the May 22 order which started letting more people back into their offices.

Apple is not doing anything special that Google, Cisco, Intel, AMD, HP, Adobe, NVidia, etc. aren't doing. If Facebook is doing something different (which I doubt), that's because they are headquartered in San Mateo County, just adjacent to the north of Santa Clara County.

It's worth pointing out that the senior management of all of these large corporations have been in repeated close and ongoing consultation with the County of Santa Clara COVID-19 response team.

SCC Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody did not randomly list a bunch of bullet points for fun-and-games nor did Tim Cook just randomly say, "Hey, let's start sending people back to the campus."

Apple is not the first company on this planet to let people start returning to the office. There is now ample precedence in many other jurisdictions around the planet about these phased returns.

It is also very worth pointing out that Santa Clara County actually led the entire nation in their shelter-in-place policy and is one of the slowest counties to lift restrictions within the state. SCC is not blindly walking into unchartered territory, not while Dr. Cody is at the helm.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
84 months ago
So Apple is doing what every other company is doing. Must suck for Mark Gurman. Now that he’s not getting any juicy rumors anymore he’s reduced to publishing banal stuff like this.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
84 months ago
So much for the "open office" layout that has been all the rage - getting rid of cubicles so that everyone is within eyeshot (aka call center layout).
The future might require a total rethinking (and remodeling) of office layouts with cubicles returning but with hermetically sealed walls all the way up to the ceiling.
Oh well.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
84 months ago
They should all work from home.
Why is apple forcing this?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
84 months ago
given the recent protests and the likelihood of a resurgence, they might wanna hold off
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Apple Releases macOS Golden Gate 27.2.1
Apple Releases macOS Golden Gate 27.2.1
1 hour ago
Apple Releases iOS 27.2.1 With Bug Fixes
Apple Releases iOS 27.2.1 With Bug Fixes
1 hour ago
Apple Releases watchOS 27.2.1 and visionOS 27.2.1 With Security Fixes
Apple Releases watchOS 27.2.1 and visionOS 27.2.1 With Security Fixes
2 hours ago
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Gets $99 Amazon Discounts, Starting at $699.99
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Gets $99 Amazon Discounts, Starting at $699.99
2 hours ago
Apple Pay Ad Features Martial Arts Convenience Store Food Fight
Apple Pay Ad Features Martial Arts Convenience Store Food Fight
2 hours ago
Apple Continues to Say Some AI Features Will Have Fees for Extra Usage
Apple Continues to Say Some AI Features Will Have Fees for Extra Usage
2 hours ago
Apple Announces Türkiye Expansion Plans as Tim Cook Visits
Apple Announces Türkiye Expansion Plans as Tim Cook Visits
3 hours ago
Singapore Saved Apple $2.7 Billion in Taxes This Year
Singapore Saved Apple $2.7 Billion in Taxes This Year
3 hours ago
Apple Music's 2026 Artist of the Year is Olivia Dean
Apple Music's 2026 Artist of the Year is Olivia Dean
4 hours ago
This Could Be Your Last Chance to Pre-Order the HomeView at a Discount
This Could Be Your Last Chance to Pre-Order the HomeView at a Discount
4 hours ago
Some HomePod Mini 2 Buyers Returning Units Over Mac Speaker Issues
Some HomePod Mini 2 Buyers Returning Units Over Mac Speaker Issues
4 hours ago
MacBook Pro With PROLED XDR Display: Details You Might Have Missed
MacBook Pro With PROLED XDR Display: Details You Might Have Missed
4 hours ago
Satechi Offers MacRumors Readers 30% Off Select Accessories in Early Black Friday Sale
Satechi Offers MacRumors Readers 30% Off Select Accessories in Early Black Friday Sale
5 hours ago
Leaker Envisions a Shorter iPhone With a New iOS Layout
Leaker Envisions a Shorter iPhone With a New iOS Layout
5 hours ago
Apple to Give You More Control Over When Your Mac Passwords Lock
Apple to Give You More Control Over When Your Mac Passwords Lock
6 hours ago
Siri Is Getting a Better Memory
Siri Is Getting a Better Memory
6 hours ago
iPhone 18e Could Feature Bigger Display and Battery
iPhone 18e Could Feature Bigger Display and Battery
7 hours ago
Apple's Siri Boss May Leave - Here's Who Could Take Over
Apple's Siri Boss May Leave - Here's Who Could Take Over
7 hours ago
Apple Launching Two More New Products This Friday
Apple Launching Two More New Products This Friday
7 hours ago
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
16 hours ago
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
1 day ago
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
1 day ago
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
2 days ago
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
2 days ago
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
2 days ago
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
3 days ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
3 days ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
3 days ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
3 days ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
3 days ago