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Apple shuts down NYC stores in response to Covid surge

By Evelyn Ulrich

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 02: Flowers are displayed outside the Apple Store at the Fifth Avenue Blooms Mother’s Day installation along Fifth Avenue amid the coronavirus pandemic on May 2, 2021 in New York City. The annual event which was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic has returned. It consists of ten large rivers of flowers, 999 planted grow bags in total, 7,000 flowers and 17,000 gallons of soil; each block is a different color palette. The installation runs until May 14th. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 02: Flowers are displayed outside the Apple Store at the Fifth Avenue Blooms Mother’s Day installation along Fifth Avenue amid the coronavirus pandemic on May 2, 2021 in New York City. The annual event which was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic has returned. It consists of ten large rivers of flowers, 999 planted grow bags in total, 7,000 flowers and 17,000 gallons of soil; each block is a different color palette. The installation runs until May 14th. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images) /
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If you are planning to head out to the Apple stores in New York City for their after-Christmas sales, your plans just got delayed.

In response to the escalating surge of Covid-19 cases in NYC, Apple took the drastic and possibly, life-saving decision to close down all ( a total of twelve) of their stores in the City, including boroughs.  Currently, it’s unclear when the stores will reopen, but customers will have the option of picking their online purchases in-store.

In a statement first obtained by Business Insider, Apple gave the following statement in regards to the closures:

"“We remain committed to a comprehensive approach for our teams that combines regular testing with daily health checks, employee and customer masking, deep cleaning, and paid sick leave.”"

Cases in New York City have been on the uptick as the quick-spreading Omicron variant has taken host and the numbers are staggering.  In the past week, hospitals have reported a total of over 17,000 new cases as well as seeing over 8,000 new cases daily.

Earlier this month, Apple shuttered its stores across the US and Canada due to the pandemic, including some in Los Angeles and the Capital in DC.  Texas and Georgia also retreated to shutting down some of their stores, and it may be ongoing as States are continuing to report an uprise in cases.

New York has been the ‘epic center’ for Covid-19 since the pandemic was announced back in March 2020.  Several businesses have closed and tourist attractions such as Radio City Music Hall canceled their famous Radio City Rockettes shows before the holidays.  NYC schools have implemented a Covid testing program for students who’ll return from winter break next week.

As for the NYC New Year’s celebrations like CNN and ABC’s Dick Clark New Year’s Rockin’ Eve taking place in Times Square, they’ll remain on schedule, though strict measures will be set and the number of goers will be limited.

For the Apple stores that remain open, customers must adhere to safety protocols, including wearing masks and taking advantage of the sanitation stations.

For now, customers can shop safely online through the Apple Store for all of their tech and iPhone needs.

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