Twitter, Facebook, Google among major companies changing return-to-office plans amid delta variant spread

A handful of the country’s most influential tech companies are responding to rising Covid-19 cases by delaying return-to-office plans, mandating employees get the vaccine and shutting down offices altogether.

A Twitter spokesperson tells CNBC Make It that “after careful consideration of the CDC’s updated guidelines, and in light of current conditions, Twitter has made the decision to close our opened offices in New York and San Francisco as well as pause future office re-openings, effective immediately.”

In mid-July, the company’s New York and San Francisco offices were re-opened at a reduced 50% capacity for vaccinated employees who wished to return. Twitter made headlines in May 2020 when CEO Jack Dorsey said employees could work from home “forever” if they wanted.

The Twitter spokesperson added the company will “continue to assess the reopening of additional offices based on our decision-making framework that takes into account a variety of factors including infection and vaccination rates in the office locations. While opening our offices is our decision, when and if our employees come back, will be theirs.”

The corporate moves follow a number of recent announcements from political leaders. President Joe Biden is expected to announce Thursday that all federal workers will be required to get vaccinated or face strict Covid-19 testing. And on Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated their recommendations that everyone, including fully vaccinated individuals, wear a mask in indoor public settings in areas with “substantial and high transmission” of Covid-19.