The company said on Friday it was temporarily shutting some
stores in California following a surge in COVID-19 cases, sending the iPhone
maker's shares down in trading after the bell. That announcement covered at
least 12 stores.
"Due to current COVID-19 conditions in some of the
communities we serve, we are temporarily closing stores in these areas. We take
this step with an abundance of caution as we closely monitor the situation and
we look forward to having our teams and customers back as soon as
possible," the spokesman said in an emailed statement.
Customers would still be able to pick up existing orders for
the next few days, the spokesman said. The statement did not mention when Apple
expects the stores to reopen.
Coronavirus cases are increasing in the United States and
the United Kingdom, with the U.S. having had over 17.4 million infections and
about 314,000 deaths.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday imposed an
effective lockdown on over 16 million people in England and reversed plans to
ease curbs over Christmas. The UK's other nations, whose response to the
pandemic differs from that of England at times, also took action.
Johnson said London and southeast England would now be
placed in a new Tier 4 level of lockdown and people in those areas will be
required to stay at home except for essential reasons such as work.
Non-essential retail will close, as will indoor leisure and entertainment.