Apple becomes the latest corporate giant to temporarily shut down its stores amid coronavirus concerns. After recent statements released by behemoths like Disney, and other tech giants like Google and Facebook, Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, released a statement via Apple’s company blog that Apple will be “closing all of our retail stores outside of Greater China until 27th March.”
After temporarily shutting down all Apple stores in mainland China, all but four are now open with limited hours. The shutdown, Cook says in the statement, allowed the corporation to learn how to best keep their employees and customers safe. “[One] of those lessons is that the most effective way to minimise risk of the virus’s transmission is to reduce density and maximise social distance.
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“As rates of new infections continue to grow in other places, we’re taking additional steps to protect our team members and customers,” he continued. “We will be closing all of our retail stores outside of Greater China until March 27.”
In our workplaces and communities, we must do all we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Apple will be temporarily closing all stores outside of Greater China until March 27 and committing $15M to help with worldwide recovery. https://t.co/ArdMA43cFJ
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) March 14, 2020
More and more businesses in the US are making the hard decision to do what they feel is best not only for their companies, but for their customers as well. Glossier recently announced that it would close all of its retail locations temporarily, with its CEO and founder, Emily Weiss, sharing, “[It] wasn't an easy choice, but I know it's the right one.”
Other brands, such as Sephora, are implementing stricter safety guidelines, while others, like AMC Theaters, Regal Cinemas, and Cineplex are cutting seating capacity in half. AMC’s CEO, Adam Aron believes this measure will facilitate “the 'social distance' between guests who still want to see movies on a big screen."
The coronavirus pandemic is hitting every industry hard, from small businesses, to the fashion industry, entertainment, and technology. “We do not yet know with certainty when the greatest risk will be behind us,” writes Cook.
“As President Lincoln said in a time of great adversity: “The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew,” he states. “That’s always how Apple has chosen to meet big challenges. And it’s how we’ll rise to meet this one, too.”
COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic. Go to the NHS website for the latest information on symptoms, prevention, and other resources.
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