In a report citing an internal video message, Bloomberg News reported Apple Inc as saying, it had informed its staff that a full return to U.S. offices will occur only after the end of this year.

Apple is also encouraging staff to work remotely as a means to mitigate the COVID-19 risks, after the coronavirus forced the company to shutdown some of its stores, again.

Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comments.

The Wuhan coronavirus has infected more than 3.3 million people in the United States alone. To mitigate risks from it, countries have gone into strict lockdowns; the coronavirus has also forced businesses to change the way they function, with work from home emerging as a new norm.