Apple has begun reopening some retail stores in the United States, marking the first time the tech giant has opened US stores since closing all locations outside of China indefinitely in March.
The company is beginning with 5 stores in Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, and South Carolina. Apple is encouraging customers to purchase items online when possible, and said that the focus of its open stores will be on providing customer service and support through the Genius Bar.
Apple also said each store will implement safety procedures that involve social distancing, conduct temperature checks, and require customers to wear face coverings before entering.
"As local guidance varies around the US there may be slight modifications to our procedures," Apple said in a statement. "As always, our thoughts are with everyone affected by COVID-19 and those working around the clock to treat, study and contain its spread."
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The move comes after Apple began reopening stores in South Korea, Australia, and Austria following its unprecedented decision to temporarily close all stores outside of China in March to prevent the spread of COVID-19. New cases in those countries have decreased dramatically, in part because of early response and widespread testing, and retail and public life has started to reopen.
In the US, cases continue to increase, with more than 80,000 people dead, though outbreak rates vary and new reported cases have started to decline in several states, including Alaska and Idaho, according to an analysis by The New York Times. That said, much of the country still struggles with limited testing capacity. Alabama, where Apple is opening one store, has seen an increase in new cases of COVID-19, according to The Times' analysis.
Coronavirus-prevention measures in the US have also had a dramatic effect on the economy, with unemployment surging to 14.7% as the country lost a record 20.5 million jobs. In response, a number of states have eased lockdown measures and begun reopening certain parts of the economy, despite rates of COVID-19. Such states include Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kansas, and Missouri among others.
Apple has not yet said when it will reopen stores in other parts of the country. Apple's stores in Georgia, which was among the first states to reopen and where the tech giant has six retail locations, remain temporarily closed.
The company's stores and the staff that run them are the company's face to the general public, from informing customers about new and existing products to facilitating customer support. Apple has been asking some staff to work remotely from home in support roles as stores have remained closed.
Apple has also launched several new products during the several weeks that most of its global stores remained closed, including the iPhone SE and new iPad Pro.
Here's a running list of the Apple retail stores in the US that have opened so far, according to Apple's website.
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