All rights reserved)ORLANDO, Fla. – Due to the ongoing impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, Universal Orlando Resort plans to extend furloughs for more than 5,000 of its workers. Universal senior vice president of human resources Scot LaFerte wrote in a notice dated Sept. 4 the furloughs are not expected to become permanent but the situation could change. Among those affected workers are 416 attraction attendants, 284 cashiers, 450 line cooks, 215 security officers, and 394 waiters and waitresses. Universal closed its Central Florida theme parks in March as COVID-19 cases first began appearing in the Sunshine State. The parks reopened in June with reduced capacity and safety precautions in place.