Apple has announced the closure of its retail stores outside of Greater China until March 27, 2020, owing to the widespread attack of the deadly coronavirus. The firm is keen to protect its employees and global customer base from the corona infection and so has decided to halt its operations for few weeks to avoid gatherings, which play a major role in channelizing the transmission of the virus.
The official blog post of Apple stated that the firm had reopened its stores in Greater China as the rate of infections dropped significantly in the region. The users will be able to access the services of the firm using their online portal and app store.
With the World Health Organization declaring coronavirus as a pandemic, it is evident that the global population is reeling under a severe threat, which is expanding with every passing minute. The disease has marked its presence in more than 60 countries around the world, with China being the most critically affected region. Wuhan, the Chinese district being the epicenter of the corona outbreak, has death tolls reaching an all-time high. Corona has not just devastated the health sector but has churned the global economy as well. Firms around the world are compelled to halt their operations to ensure safety for their employees and customers.
Apple has actively participated in the relief operations conducted for entailing the corona spread. It has contributed a whopping amount of nearly $15 million as donations on a worldwide scale. The firm has matched the employee donations two-to-one to support COVID-19 relief efforts locally, nationally, as well as internationally. In all its offices located outside Greater China, Apple has initiated flexible working hours for its employees while ensuring their safety and health. Also, to educate people about the disease, Apple News has launched a new COVID-19 news section, which gives the latest verified news reports from trusted resources.
Owing to the Corona outbreak, Apple will conduct its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in an online mode. The event will witness the gathering of developers from around the world who will share their revolutionary ideas with one other.
The entire world has come together to fight against the deadly coronavirus pandemic. Governments and organizations are putting in their best efforts to protect their citizens from the sudden outbreak through an array of relief operations. However, it becomes our duty as citizens to follow the correct health regime and stop the disease from spreading.