Coronavirus outbreak: Firms discourage personal engagements as COVID-19 grips US

In a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus, US-based telecommunications company T-Mobile has reportedly advised its employees to refrain from hugs, kisses or high fives. In an unprecedented development, Covid-19 has infected 128 and killed nine in the United States. Meanwhile, the virus has infected nearly 93,573 and killed over 3,204 people globally with a vast majority in mainland China, international media reported.

Firms encourage personal distancing

Meanwhile, Bellevue, a Washington based wireless provider has “encouraged personal distancing at work” and has all sorts of “sanitation products” available for the staff. Meanwhile, Twitter has advised its employees to work from home. The social media company also reportedly announced that it was suspending all non-critical business travel and events.

According to reports, Facebook Inc has banned the entry of all non-business travellers in its offices. Last week, the social media giant cancelled its biggest annual event, the F8 Developer Conference. Many other big companies are also pulling out from big events and conferences. Alphabet Inc's Google previously scrapped its biggest conference for cloud computing customers, scheduled for next month in San Francisco, following the cancellation of two other events. 

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The Menlo Park, California reportedly discouraged all gatherings of more than 50 attendees. Home Depot has also implemented a 14-day stay-at-home policy for employees who have returned from those regions within the past two weeks. Tata Consultancy Services and HCL Technologies have instructed staff to avoid non-essential travel as IT firms put in place measures to safeguard workers against coronavirus, international media reported. 

Meanwhile, at least three new fatalities from the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in the Seattle area, Washington State on March 4 by the Washington State health authorities, bringing the total death toll in the US at 9. Two out of the three deaths are linked to the patients who passed away on February 26 but weren’t previously linked to COVID-19.

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