Apple Shuts Three More Retail Stores as COVID-19 Infections Rise

Apple has shut three of its retail stores following increased exposures and COVID-19 cases among employees, according to Bloomberg.

The stores, which are located in Miami's Brickell City Center; Annapolis, Maryland; and downtown Ottawa, Ontario, will be temporarily closed. Right now, Apple's website says the Miami store is closed through Friday and the Annapolis and Ottawa stores are closed through Saturday. Apple reportedly closed a store in Southlake, Texas, last week due to a COVID-19 outbreak, although the company's website currently indicates that the store is open.

The closures are happening as COVID-19 infections rise. Although the omicron variant is beginning to spread, the delta variant "continues to be the primary variant circulating in the United States," as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On Tuesday, Apple again began requiring customers to wear masks within its US retail stores.

"We regularly monitor conditions and we will adjust our health measures to support the wellbeing of customers and employees," an Apple spokesperson said in a statement toThe Verge. "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." Employees at the closed stores need to be tested prior to reopening, the spokesperson further added.

Apple has also reportedly delayed its plans to return its corporate workers to the office. His latest plan was for employees to return on February 1 under a hybrid work model, but that plan has been moved back to a date "yet to be determined," according to Zoe Schiffer of NBC News. An email from Tim Cook announced that employees would get $ 1,000 to spend at their home office, Schiffer reported. As per Bloomberg, retail employees will also receive this bonus.