Concerned about Omicron variant, Wall St banks encourage COVID booster shots By Reuters

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A Wall Street sign is pictured outside the New York Stock Exchange amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., April 16, 2021. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Several Wall Street banks are increasing efforts to ensure staff get coronavirus booster shots, after Jefferies (NYSE:JEF) reported a surge in COVID-19 cases and as countries and industries grapple with how to respond to the spread of the Omicron variant.

Daily COVID-19 cases in New York City have surged in recent days and hospitalizations in the city are at their highest level since April, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While the Delta variant is still dominant in the United States, Omicron has been detected in many U.S. states including New York.

Most banks are strongly recommending staff get booster shots, the sources said.

Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) has made COVID-19 boosters available to staff at its new headquarters in Columbus Circle since early November, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) said Wednesday it was providing all employees with four hours of paid leave to get the booster shot.

JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM) and Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) also provide employees with paid time off to get vaccines and booster shots.

Meanwhile banks are reluctant to reverse efforts since the summer to get staff who had been working from home back into the office. However they are conscious that workers are increasingly concerned about the Omicron variant.

On Wednesday, Jefferies asked staff to work from home again due to a spate of COVID-19 cases, throwing the issue of office versus homeworking back into focus.

Banks are also, for the most part, allowing small teams to get together for holiday parties to help maintain morale, but not planning large-scale, firm-wide gatherings, the sources say.

Some events have gone ahead.

The UJA-Federation of New York's Wall Street Dinner, attended by Wall Street leaders including Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) Chief Executive David Solomon, was held Monday at the Marriott Marquis in midtown Manhattan, attended by 700 in-person guests.

Although proof of vaccination was required upon entry, in line with City of New York regulations, there was no requirement to mask and most guests chose not to as they mingled over hors d'oeuvres and cocktails.

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