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Is Starbucks chief anti-vaxxer? #BoycottStarbucks trends as vax mandate scrapped

Starbucks had said early this month that all its employees are required to be vaccinated by February 9 or face a weekly Covid test requirement

Starbucks workers in the US no longer need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 as the company has reversed a policy it announced earlier this month. The Seattle coffee giant sent a memo to its employees on Tuesday, January 18, responding to last week's ruling in the Supreme court, which rejected the Biden administration’s plan to require vaccines or regular Covid testing at companies which have over 100 workers. “We respect the court’s ruling and will comply,” Starbucks Chief Operating Officer John Culver wrote in the memo.

Starbucks had said early this month that all its employees are required to be vaccinated by February 9 or face a weekly Covid test requirement. Culver had said at the time that it was Starbucks’ leadership's responsibility “to do whatever we can to help keep you safe and create the safest work environment possible.” In the recent memo, he said that the company encourages vaccinations and booster shots nonetheless.

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"I want to emphasize that we continue to believe strongly in the spirit and intent of the mandate," Culver said. "Thank you to the more than 90 percent of partners who have already disclosed their vaccination status, and to the vast majority who are now fully vaccinated." Starbucks, which employs 228,000 people in the United States, has been wirnessing a rise in workers who want to unionize. 

#BoycottStarbucks began trending on Twitter as social media users slammed the company's decision to scrap the vaccine mandate. "Starbucks is now serving COVID-19 with that delicious hot coffee. No vaccination for employees = COVID-19 for everybody #BoycottStarbucks," one user wrote. "In honor of Starbucks rescinding the vaccine mandate for employees, I’m going to sit at a Starbucks w/ my “Joe Biden left Americans behind in Afghanistan” laptop. #BoycottStarbucks," another wrote. One user commented, "There are plenty of good reasons to not drink @Starbucks. Their product is overpriced and overrated. There are plenty of Mom & Pop coffee shops. Reversing their earlier policy to require employees to be vaccinated is another good reason to #BoycottStarbucks."

While one user commented, "Starbucks is going back on their word announcing they will NOT require workers to be vaccinated & will NOT require the employees making your food & drinks to have a negative COVID test. They might as well print on their cups "f*** our customers & their health" #BoycottStarbucks", another said, "I will not go to Starbucks or anywhere that does not require workers to be vaxxed. Our health is worth self-advocating for. #boycottstarbucks". "Listen… I’m all for getting the vaccine, but I’m not gonna #BoycottStarbucks. I want the world to heal, but I’m not giving up my Venti white mocha with a splash of almond milk for none of you!" one user commented.