CNN is closing its offices in the U.S. to all nonessential employees as the network - and the nation - experiences a surge in COVID-19, Pr...
CNN is closing its offices in the U.S. to all nonessential employees as the network - and the nation - experiences a surge in COVID-19, President Jeff Zucker said on Saturday in an internal memo to staff.
CNN, part of AT&T Inc.'s WarnerMedia division, will close its offices to all employees who are not required to go in, according to the memo, which was viewed by Reuters.
The network had set a tentative return-to-office date in January and it isn't known if that date will move, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.
'We are doing this out of an abundance of caution,' Zucker, 56, said.
'And it will also protect those who will be in the office by minimizing the number of people who are there.'
Employees who need to go into the office or work with reporters in the field will be required to wear a mask at all times, CNN said.
President Jeff Zucker, 56 (pictured), announced in an internal memo that all CNN's offices will be closed to nonessential employees until sometime in January
Reliable Sources anchor Brian Stelter, 36, tweeted that the closures meant going 'back to 2020 protocols, essentially'
The network will also make changes to its studios and control rooms to minimize the number of people at offices, according to the memo. CNN is going back to using 'flash studios,' which are smaller studios that operated remotely, according to the Wall Street Journal.
'TV news 101: Networks always have to ensure that control rooms and shows can remain on the air,' CNN anchor of Reliable Sources Brian Stelter, 36, tweeted.
'Back to 2020 protocols, essentially.'
Before the change, CNN employees were allowed to come into the office voluntarily, the Journal reported.
CNN requires all employees to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 to come to the office or work in the field with other employees.
In August, the company terminated three of its workers for coming to the office unvaccinated as Zucker enforced the 'zero tolerance' policy.
Omicron cases have double overnight, spiking in across six states that broke daily records. New York City is the current epicenter of the Omicron variant, much like in the early days of the pandemic.
It is currently in 44 states.
The number of confirmed Omicron cases increased by 97 percent in the US from Friday morning to Saturday morning. The variant is now confirmed in every state but Oklahoma, Montana, the Dakotas, Indiana and Vermont.
The Omicron variant is now in 44 states and has increased 97 per cent in the US from Friday morning to Saturday morning
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