Intel to give $250 to employees worldwide for COVID-19 vaccines
In a bid to encourage COVID-19 vaccination, computer chip-maker Intel on Wednesday announced an incentive of $250 for all its employees for getting vaccinated. The company also announced a $100 incentive in food vouchers for its hourly employees. The incentive will be extended to all employees who get vaccinated before December 2021. However, the company said it does not currently make vaccinations a requirement.
What did Intel say?
Pat Gelsinger, Intel Corporation's Chief Executive Officer, said in a mail sent to employees on Wednesday, "While Intel does not require COVID-19 vaccination for its workforce, we strongly recommend that our employees around the world obtain COVID-19 vaccines." "The risk of infection among vaccinated individuals is reduced about three-fold, and the risk of severe disease or death is reduced by ten-fold or greater."
Paid 4-hour time-off for vaccination appointments: Intel
Intel will also allow its employees to take up to four hours of paid time off for each vaccination appointment. It will reportedly extend the incentive expiration date for employees in countries that don't have vaccines available yet.
Intel has significant number of employees in India
Intel has around 1,10,000 employees globally and a significant portion of it is from India. The company has multiple campuses in India—in Hyderabad and Bengaluru—where at least 7,000 employees work. Intel's push for vaccination is expected to help Karnataka, which has been seeking help from private players to increase vaccination coverage. Karnataka has also urged corporates to use their CSR funds for vaccination.
Which other tech companies are encouraging employees' vaccination?
Intel is not the only tech giant to encourage employees to get vaccinated. Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Netflix have also announced that their employees will have to get vaccinated to return to the office. Apple is also considering making vaccinations a prerequisite.
Countries also announcing incentives for vaccinations
Apart from companies, governments are also trying to encourage vaccination by announcing incentives. Last month, United States President Joe Biden called on state authorities to provide $100 payments for every newly-vaccinated American to expand COVID-19 vaccination coverage. Many US states have since announced similar incentives for those vaccinated. Other countries like Israel, the United Kingdom, and Serbia are also offering incentives for vaccination.
