Photo by Amir Hosseini on Unsplash
Apple stores in the US and Canada have been temporarily shuttered because of increasing COVID-19 exposure and outbreak among employees. Shops in Ottawa (Rideau Centre), Annapolis (Annapolis Mall), and Miami (Brickell City Centre) will remain closed until either December 18 or 19. It is unclear how many staff contracted the virus. Apple reiterated in a statement to Bloomberg that it "regularly monitor[s]" the pandemic conditions and has a "comprehensive" store safety initiative that includes daily health checks, paid sick leave, masks, and extra cleaning. The employees will be tested before they can return to work.
As Engadget noted, the closures remind us of the ongoing risks that retail staff at many stores are exposed to. They can't exactly avoid sick customers. And while stores can help minimize risks, they can't completely avoid it given the rising infection rates.