Apple Shuts Three Stores in US, Canada After Rise in Covid-19 Cases
Company is closing locations in Miami, Maryland and Ottawa.
Cases and exposure among Apple’s employees spurred the move.
Apple Inc has temporarily closed three retail stores in Miami, Annapolis and Ottawa after a rise in COVID-19 cases and exposures among employees, the iPhone maker said.
COVID-19 cases are rising in parts of Canada and the United States, with Canada’s government imploring its residents not to leave the country.
Apple said on Tuesday all customers and employees at its stores in the U.S. will be required to wear masks.
“We regularly monitor conditions and we will adjust our health measures to support the well-being of customers and employees,” Apple said in a statement.
“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.”
The spread of the Omicron variant is causing more worry for several major companies, prompting them to tighten their protocols.
Apple recently started requiring employees, regardless of vaccination status, to take rapid tests for Covid multiple times per week before coming to work. It also asks employees who feel sick to stay home.
The company is aiming to require corporate employees to return to the office by Feb. 1. It’s unclear if the uptick will impact those plans.
Google told its employees they would lose pay and eventually be fired if they did not follow the company’s vaccination rules, according to a report, while JP Morgan Chase & Co has asked its unvaccinated staff in Manhattan to work from home.
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