Amidst growing concerns about public safety in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Spotify has ordered its employees to work from home for the next two weeks.
CEO and founder Daniel Ek recently went public with the announcement from Spotify headquarters in Sweden, urging other businesses in the country to do the same.
"I have asked Spotify employees to work from home for the next two weeks due to the increased risk of COVID-19," Ek tweeted yesterday (March 10). "We all have an obligation to delay the spread of the virus and thus the expected pressure on our healthcare system. I hope other companies in Sweden will follow suit."
Today, the World Health Organization officially classified the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic.
"Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, said. "It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death."
Already, multiple entities in the music and entertainment industry have taken note of the severity of this outbreak, cancelling events where large audiences would gather.
Today, E3 2020 cancelled its June event. Last night (March 10), Coachella was officially postponed, while SXSW and Miami's Ultra Music Festival were also cancelled over coronavirus concerns. In Canada, Ottawa's RBC Bluesfest is monitoring the situation closely before its organizers make any moves to possibly reschedule the festival.
You can keep an eye on the status of COVID-19 cases in Canada here.
CEO and founder Daniel Ek recently went public with the announcement from Spotify headquarters in Sweden, urging other businesses in the country to do the same.
"I have asked Spotify employees to work from home for the next two weeks due to the increased risk of COVID-19," Ek tweeted yesterday (March 10). "We all have an obligation to delay the spread of the virus and thus the expected pressure on our healthcare system. I hope other companies in Sweden will follow suit."
Today, the World Health Organization officially classified the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic.
"Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, said. "It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death."
Already, multiple entities in the music and entertainment industry have taken note of the severity of this outbreak, cancelling events where large audiences would gather.
Today, E3 2020 cancelled its June event. Last night (March 10), Coachella was officially postponed, while SXSW and Miami's Ultra Music Festival were also cancelled over coronavirus concerns. In Canada, Ottawa's RBC Bluesfest is monitoring the situation closely before its organizers make any moves to possibly reschedule the festival.
You can keep an eye on the status of COVID-19 cases in Canada here.
