Apple Stores In US Closed Until Further Notice

Apple’s U.S. retail stores are closed “until further notice,” according to a note posted on the company’s website on Tuesday.

On Monday, the Trump administration urged Americans not to gather in groups of more than 10 people amid increasing concerns about the spread of coronavirus. However, other countries as well as local governments have implemented health guidelines differently, which will affect how quickly Apple can reopen its stores.

Apple announced on Friday that it was closing all stores outside of China until March 27 in response to the coronavirus crisis. It’s now no longer clear when Apple’s stores will reopen.

“Our retail stores are closed until further notice. We are committed to providing exceptional service to our customers,” adding that people who want to buy Apple products or get repairs could do it online or over the phone.

In a blog post published Friday, Apple CEO Tim Cook said store closures were necessary to stop the spread of the virus and that the company had learned lessons from the outbreak in China.

In mainland China, all 42 Apple stores have now reopened after closing in February as the coronavirus outbreak spread.

“One of those lessons is that the most effective way to minimize risk of the virus’s transmission is to reduce density and maximize social distance. As rates of new infections continue to grow in other places, we’re taking additional steps to protect our team members and customers,” Cook wrote in a blog post.

―CNBC