Inside Apple's Coronavirus Store Closure Strategies

Apple appears to be using a data-driven model, which is, needless to say, positive.

It would help tame the pandemic if more governmental entities did the same.

I’ve no idea what Apple hopes to accomplish with these closures. By following common sense guidelines, Apple can keep employees and customers safe, provide much needed support to its customers, and do its part to contribute to the health of the economy.

To think that closing a few Apple Stores will somehow prevent the spread is really silly... employees and customers are far more likely to contract it outside of an Apple Store... bars, restaurants, house parties, hanging out with friends, etc.

I’ve no idea what Apple hopes to accomplish with these closures. By following common sense guidelines, Apple can keep employees and customers safe, provide much needed support to its customers, and do its part to contribute to the health of the economy.

To think that closing a few Apple Stores will somehow prevent the spread is really silly... employees and customers are far more likely to contract it outside of an Apple Store... bars, restaurants, house parties, hanging out with friends, etc.

Apple stores are in busy areas. The employees feel safe at work but traveling to and from stores is an issue. Employees are at risk when they go on break, or have to walk through a crowded mall and people around you are not wearing masks. So what they‘re accomplishing is keeping their most important investment safe first: their employees.

Was at an Apple Store yesterday. Some are closed in my area, the ones in the most crowded spots; this one wasn't. I'm immuno-depressed, so I don't leave the house very often, but this was a good experience. I made an appointment (I was looking to buy my first Apple Watch) for yesterday early evening. Midweek, around dinnertime, a mall whose main anchors (movie theater, Macy's, Dave & Buster's) were closed as well as many (but not all) of the stores inside...felt reasonably safe. So I got to the Apple Store and here was my experience:

--First had to interact with what looked like security, perhaps they were medical staff. Had to answer the usual questions (Have you had a fever? Have you had a cough? etc.), and then had my temperature taken.
--Apple staff member was out managing the lines (reservations or walk-up, sales or service). I had to stand in a specific spot where where she (from a social distance) confirmed what I was there for and whether I had a reservation. Got in line, where of course there were tape marks to keep us distanced.
--Eventually allowed in (only so many allowed at once), and was accompanied to what I wanted to see.
--I did not expect this, but I WAS allowed to try on a Watch. He took out the sample watch case of the type I wanted, wiped it with disinfectant, did the same with the bands, allowed me to play around.
--Any time I looked around, SOMEONE was wiping down equipment or counters, and of course there were hand sanitizing stations in several places.
--When I made my purchase, the box was brought to the associate, who wiped it down with an antiseptic wipe. I was also offered as many antiseptic wipes as I liked to take with me; I used those to wipe down the exterior of the box and each of the boxes inside.

The reservations are just for 15 minutes, but I was there a lot longer (there wasn't anyone on line, my supposition about the time and place was correct). I wouldn't hesitate to do it again if needed.


EDIT: Oh, and of course masks required.

We have more than enough data now to know that people can live their lives and not contract the virus so long as they take common sense precautions. That includes taking public transportation (there’s no evidence of widespread transmission of C19 in subways in densely populated cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, etc.) and working in retail stores (millions of Walmart and Target employees who‘ve been working through this pandemic are doing just fine).

All those cities you listed had aggressive contact tracing and lockdown or semi-lockdowns early on in the pandemic. Their cases never spiked to unmanageable levels like in the States or some cities in Europe, so the infection density is on a different level. There are some data that seem to suggest the NUYC spread was worsened by the subway, although the MIT study that suggested this used a dubious methodology. And even if public transport is completely safe, many US cities don’t have adequate public transport infrastructure in place to service everyone in a timely manner.

Tracking store closures to identify outbreaks is a case of the tail wagging the dog. Apple reacts to outbreak data in each geographic area, so it's the data that tells the story. Apple's actions simply echo it.