Apple, based in Cupertino, California, usually closes a retail store when approximately 10% of its employees test positive for Covid-19.
In recent weeks, such closures have become more common. Prior to the latest round, Apple closed and reopened eight other locations, including stores in Texas, Maryland, Hawaii, Ohio and Ottawa. Each shutdown usually lasts a few days. The ninth closed store-on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach-remains closed. In August, Apple also temporarily closed a store in Charleston, South Carolina.
Apple said in a statement: “We will regularly monitor the situation and will adjust our health measures to support the well-being of customers and employees.” With the combination of health checks, employee and customer shielding, deep cleaning, and paid sick leave, Apple has previously stated that all employees will be tested regularly, and each employee will only reopen the store once and test again.
With the number of Covid-19 cases and omicron variants proliferating globally, Apple has begun to limit occupancy rates in its retail stores to promote social distancing. It has also restored the mask regulations for all stores in the United States, and once again placed plexiglass partitions to protect employees.
At the same time, Apple has also increased incentives for online ordering. On Wednesday, the company launched a two-hour free shipping service for its products in “most metropolitan areas.” This transaction will continue until December 24. This shipping option usually costs $9.
Complete News Source : Hindustan Times
