CNN sacks three employees after they went to work unvaccinated

6 August 2021, 12:26

American news giant CNN has fired three employees who went back to work without getting vaccinated.

The media organisation has made it company policy for staff coming to the office or heading out into the field to have been jabbed.

In a memo obtained by The Associated Press, Jeff Zucker, the outlet's president, reiterated the policy and said: "Let me be clear - we have a zero tolerance policy on this."

The memo was tweeted out by Oliver Darcy, a CNN media reporter. CNN did not provide detail on the sackings or where the three members of staff were based.

Read more: Foreign visitors to the US will need to be fully-vaccinated under Biden's plans

Read more: PM's plans for vaccine passports in clubs branded 'absolute shambles'

Mr Zucker said a third of news staff have returned, with most of the company's offices open on a voluntary basis. Plans for a full return have been pushed back to October.

So far, managers have taken staff’s word that they have been vaccinated although this may change, Mr Zucker added.

Masks will also be needed for CNN employees in its offices in Atlanta, Washington and Los Angeles when not eating, drinking or in a private, enclosed space, while those in offices without the requirement should be allowed to wear them without "retaliation or judgement", he also wrote.

James O'Brien examines the issue of vaccine passports

There has been a lot of focus on the use of making vaccines mandatory as countries that have jabbed large parts of their population consider how to drop restrictions while some people, who have not had a dose, remain more vulnerable to Covid.

Recently, a White House official briefed that the Biden administration is set to require all foreign visitors to the US to be fully vaccinated.

In England, it has been confirmed that care home staff will need to be vaccinated from November 11.

Vaccine passports will also be needed for close contact events, like nightclubs.