Apple has closed a number of retail stores in the United States over Omicron variant concerns.
Last week, the company shuttered some US and Canadian retail stores due to the ongoing COVID-19 spread, and now the firm has closed seven more stores, with the number expected to grow considerably in the coming days and weeks. As reported by Bloomberg, Apple has closed a number of stores because of positive COVID-19 cases amongst employees.
The Dadeland store in Miami, Gardens Mall store in Palm Beach, and Lenox Square store in Atlanta are three of the affected sites. They join Highland Village in Houston, Summit Mall in Ohio, and Pheasant Lane in New Hampshire.
Right now, Apple closes retail stores when 10% of its staff test positive for COVID-19. It’s unknown what the infection rates were for each of these stores, but with the Omicron variant growing rapidly around the world, the chances are that Apple is preparing for more of its stores to close over the festive period and into the New Year.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Apple said; “We regularly monitor conditions, and we will adjust our health measures to support the well-being of customers and employees. We remain committed to a comprehensive approach for our teams that combines regular testing with daily health checks, employee and customer masking, deep cleaning and paid sick leave.”
Earlier in the week, the company also reinstated its mask mandate in the United States.
Is your local store affected? Let us know and check back soon for the latest.
