Coronavirus | Apple Closes Most of Stores for Two Weeks

Coronavirus is a threat to us and the business as well. Already many companies are facing financial issues due to coronavirus spread. Apple announces that it will close its retail stores located in Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan, establishing Apple as one of those companies showing timely action against coronavirus spread and ensuring safety to the employees.

This step by Apple will encourage other companies to shut down their stores because the outlets are the next crucial part. 

The company has decided to close outlets across 21 countries, and the number of stores is 450. They will be closed until March 27. The chief executive of this company, Timothy D. Cook, confirms this by posting a statement on the company's website Friday. He says, "The most effective way to minimize the risk of the virus's transmission is to reduce density and maximize social distance."

The employees do not need to worry about their wages as they will be paid, as usual, Apple confirms.

It is a drastic move by Apple as the virus has spread all over the world from its place of origin, China.

Earlier in January, Apple closed 42 stores in China as the number of coronavirus infected people started rising. But as China is now showing a decrease in infected people's numbers, Apple has reopened their stores in China. But, as the outside areas in China are coronavirus' new target, the companies shut their stores down there.  

The World Health Organization has declared this outbreak as a pandemic and gave instructions to the governments and companies to respond wisely against the virus spread. As a result of the epidemic, supply chains are damaged, plane flying is getting limited, and sports stadiums, museums, and theatres remain closed for ensuring safety. 

Many companies kept their retail stores open so far. But, as Apple has taken an appropriate measure to fight coronavirus spread, many other companies have followed, and others will follow. Similarly, Patagonia, an outdoor clothing retailer, also confirms on Friday that they will also close their stores until late March. As an employee of Starbucks showed positive results in the coronavirus test, the company will close the stores temporarily as a "last resort."

If the stores of the companies remain close for a more extended period, it is a loss for them, and they are facing the loss all over currently. Although online shopping may mitigate the damage to some extent, it can not compensate for the failure for more extended periods.

China is one of Apple's most significant targets as it depends on China for initial parts and products, and Apple also sells one-fifth of its sales in China. The factories in China making iPads, iPhones, and Macbooks were closed for so many weeks. As a result of people quarantining themselves in their homes in China, Apple's sales fell in China. 

Things in China seems to become normal soon for Apple. Foxconn, the company assembling most iPhones and the largest supplier, confirms that the Chinese plants working for Apple are capable of producing 50 percent, and they will ensure full production by the end of March. 

Apple holds its annual conference every year in a convention center in San Jose, Calif, with thousands of software developers in June. But Apple confirms on Friday that it will do the conference online this year. Besides, Apple has ordered its employees to work in different parts of the world to work from home like other companies. Closing their stores is a praiseworthy activity, indeed.