Apple To Restrict Occupancy, Require Masks With Store Reopenings

In a letter to its customers, Apple outlined its approach to the reopening its retail locations. Apple Senior Vice President for Retail and People Deidre O’Brien wrote in the letter that almost 100 of its stores throughout the world have been able to open their doors to shoppers once more.

O’Brien wrote, “Our commitment is to only move forward with a reopening once we’re confident we can safely return to serving customers from our stores. We look at every available piece of data — including local cases, near and long‑term trends, and guidance from national and local health officials.”

O’Brien continued, “These are not decisions we rush into — and a store opening in no way means that we won’t take the preventative step of closing it again should local conditions warrant.”

The executive wrote that customers will find themselves with “plenty of space” when a store opens again to enable social distance. Apple, for its part, will be focused on restricting occupancy. The tech company also noted that teams and shoppers will have to have face coverings, and it would give them to shoppers who don’t have their own.

O’Brien also noted that temperature checks will be held at the door and health questions will screen for individuals who have symptoms or exposure to someone who has the virus. It will also hold “enhanced deep cleanings” during the day that have a special focus on all surfaces, busy locations and display items.

The executive also emphasized that Apple was one of the first firms to shutter its stores in China and later around the globe. She wrote, “In Greater China, we saw the importance of swift action — and the critical importance of social distance — to slow the virus’ spread.”

In separate news, Apple was harnessing its Advanced Manufacturing Fund to extend a $10 million grant to COPAN Diagnostics so it can ramp up the production of its COVID-19 testing kits. The funds will help the company quickly bolster supplies of its coronavirus sample collection kits to more than 1 million each week by the start of July from several thousand.