Apple has briefly closed all of its New York Metropolis shops to in-person consumers as coronavirus circumstances soar within the Massive Apple.
Apple’s huge Fifth Avenue flagship — in addition to its Grand Central, SoHo and World Commerce Middle shops and smaller retailers throughout the 5 boroughs — are all closed to consumers, based on the iPhone maker’s web site.
Prospects can nonetheless decide up on-line orders on the shops.
Areas in Westchester County, Lengthy Island, New Jersey and upstate New York stay open for in-person procuring.
The closures come because the Omicron variant spreads quickly in New York, forcing 1000’s of employees to name out sick.
Amid coronavirus-related employee shortages, Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday cut the isolation guidance for some totally vaccinated employees who take a look at optimistic for COVID-19 from 10 days to 5 days.
Apple usually closes a retailer when 10 p.c of its staff have examined optimistic for the coronavirus, according to Bloomberg.
Final week, Apple shuttered stores in Florida, Georgia, Texas, New Hampshire and Canada as coronavirus circumstances rose.
Apple spokesman Nick Leahy didn’t reply to a request for particulars on the corporate’s New York Metropolis retailer closures however stated the corporate does its greatest to guard staff.
“We recurrently monitor situations and we’ll modify each our well being measures and retailer providers to assist the wellbeing of shoppers and staff,” Leahy informed The Publish. “We stay dedicated to a complete strategy for our groups that mixes common testing with each day well being checks, worker and buyer masking, deep cleansing and paid sick go away.”
On Monday, New York Metropolis reported a near-record of 17,343 new coronavirus cases. Town’s hospitalization price has greater than doubled over the previous week as hospitals see a surge of sufferers contaminated with the omicron variant, Mayor Invoice de Blasio stated.
