Apple Closes Most Stores in New York City as Covid Rages

Tech giant and iPhone maker Apple has closed stores to most New York City customers on Monday due to a surge in Covid-19 cases and the spreading omicron variant.

The company closed the doors of its stores in New York City to indoor traffic due to a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases. Customers however who order online aren’t restricted from picking up products outside retail locations.

The 11 affected Apple locations are in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island.

It’s not known how long the closures will last.

It was in early 2020 that Apple had closed all of its U.S. retail locations in response to the initial wave of the coronavirus pandemic. After reopening, the company then implemented designated sanitation areas for customers and asked employees to wear masks.

The company’s retail employees also have had access to weekly at-home tests.

Apple also said two weeks ago that customers would be required to wear masks when visiting retail locations. Previously, Apple only required masks in regions that imposed mandates.

This month the company had also temporarily closed stores in Miami, Ottawa, Ontario, and Annapolis, Md., due to rising cases.

“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 Monday. “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.”

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies mentioned and have not been compensated for this article.