Apple Shuts NYC Stores Over Rising Omicron Fears

Apple Inc AAPL has temporarily closed its physical stores in New York City amid rising COVID-19 fears due to rapidly spreading omicron variant, CNBC reported on Monday, citing the company’s website.

What Happened: Apple customers can still place orders online, and the latest closures currently affect 11 locations such as Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island.

Unlike in early 2020, when Apple closed all of its U.S. retail locations in response to the initial wave of the coronavirus pandemic, the latest move is more staggered. 

Two weeks ago, the maker of iPhones and iPads made it mandatory for customers visiting any of its stores to wear masks, a departure from an earlier requirement where masks were required only in regions that imposed mandates.

The latest closures come nearly a week after Apple closed seven retail stores, including Florida, Georgia, and Texas, due to increasing cases of COVID-19 among employees.

See Also: Apple Closes Another 7 US, Canada Stores As COVID-19 Cases Among Employees Rise

Why It Matters: The fast-spreading Omicron variant has become the dominant virus strain spreading the COVID-19 across the U.S., accounting for 90% of the cases in some parts of the country, Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said last week.

Earlier this month, CDC’s last update claimed the Omicron variant made up more than 73% of the cases in the United States.

The Tim Cook-led company sent a memo to its staff members earlier this month informing them that their return to office has been delayed from Feb. 1 to a “date yet to be determined,” as per Bloomberg.

Price Action: Apple shares closed 2.30% higher at $180.33 a share on Monday.