Apple is reopening a handful of its retail stores as cities around the world begin to ease lock-down measures. Under 100 Apple Stores have opened their doors to consumers, the company said in an open letter from Sunday, almost a quarter of Apple’s total stores worldwide.
A letter, written by Apple retail head Deirdre O’Brien, read:
“Face coverings will be required for all of our teams and customers and we will provide them to customers who don’t bring their own,”
“Temperature checks will be conducted at the door and posted health questions will screen for those with symptoms — like cough or fever — or who have had recent exposure to someone infected with COVID‑19.”
Currently, with many different cities having varying regulations on how many people are allowed inside a location, O’Brien said Apple Stores should concentrate more on one-on-one interactions. During the day, stores will be thoroughly cleaned, the letter says, including “enhanced deep cleanings that place special emphasis on all surfaces, display products, and highly trafficked areas.”
Store closures are one of the ways companies around the world are trying to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), at which Apple usually introduces the next iPhone operating system (iOS), will be an online-only event. Since March, its offices have been empty of staff, although employees are expected to start returning in July.
In mid-March, Apple began closing down its stores in the west, as the coronavirus started to spread through cities in the US and Europe. The company announced on March 13 that it would shutter its stores for two weeks, until March 27, before permanently extending the closures.
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