A COVID-19 epidemic has apparently forced Apple to close one Apple Store in Texas

According to NBC News’ Zoe Schiffer, Apple closed one of its retail outlets in Southlake, Texas on Wednesday after many of its employees contracted COVID-19. According to NBC News, a manager notified employees on Wednesday that 22 of the store’s 151 employees “had shared that they’re positive for COVID-19,” and four of the store’s 151 employees reported positive instances shortly after Black Friday. Until Sunday, the store will be closed.

According to an NBC News article, there are a few concerning trends regarding the Southlake location. One employee stated that they had previously expressed concerns about their ability to maintain social distance. On Black Friday, he and another employee stated the store was “shoulder to shoulder” packed. Employees at the Southlake shop were supposedly requested to come in even if they had called in sick:

NBC spoke with four current and former employees at the Southlake store who said they’ve received calls from their manager encouraging them to come to work, even when they called out sick. In two of these cases, the employee had taken the Covid-19 survey and the results said not to come in. The manager did not respond to requests for comment from NBC.

Before starting work, Apple’s official policy requires retail employees to wear masks and complete a COVID-19 survey. They must also be checked frequently for COVID-19: unvaccinated workers must be tested twice a week, whereas vaccinated workers must be tested once a week.

A request for comment from the corporation was not immediately returned. For The Verge this month, Schiffer revealed that many of Apple’s frontline employees are dissatisfied with their working conditions.

Canadians scheduled to appear on #thegameawards

🇨🇦 Jim Carrey
🇨🇦 Keanu Reeves
🇨🇦 Simu Liu
🇨🇦 Will Arnett
🇨🇦 Geoff Keighley

And more to come!

— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) December 9, 2021

Beginning February 1st, the majority of Apple’s corporate staff will return to work in a hybrid work programme. The corporation revealed its hybrid work plans in June, with the intention of returning in September, but this was pushed out to January and then February. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has also revised its return-to-work regulations recently. The offices will reopen fully on January 31st, although employees will be permitted to postpone their return for three to five months.