Apple company is shutting down several of its outlets because of the ongoing coronavirus situation. The coronavirus pandemic has peaked again and Apple’s plan to safeguard its customers as well as its employees, especially after the successful launch of the latest iPhone is to close its franchises in Mexico, California, Brazil and London. Now that England and Scotland are entering a pair of new regional shutdowns, Apple is shutting all of its existing stores in the UK.
9to5Mac of Michael Steeber notes that 18 more stores are to be closed all over the United Kingdom including the ones in Ireland, Belfast, and Scotland—though it seems as if the Belfast store might have already been closed. More confirmation needs to come as to how many stores are to shut down exactly.
Much earlier, on 26 December, Northern Ireland closed down all non-essential stores. Although it feels worth mentioning the closures, they do not make all that much of an impact to most shoppers who have not been able to visit many of these stores physically since November. That’s why Apple began providing express service only to several of these stores. You could not have browserd, but you could pick up the orders via online method. Coronavirus cases are on the rise in the United States and the United Kingdom, with more than 17.4 million infections and around 314,000 deaths in the United States.
On Saturday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson placed an immediate lockdown on more than 16 million people in England and reversed attempts to ease the brakes over Christmas. The other nations of the United Kingdom, whose reaction to the pandemic often varies from that of England, have also taken action. Johnson said London and south-east England will now be put under a new Tier 4 lockout, and people in those areas will be forced to stay at home, except for specific reasons such as work. Non-essential retail will close, as will indoor entertainment and leisure.