Apple Closes South Carolina Store After COVID-19 Exposure, Other Stores Cutting Hours Due to Staff Shortages

[MacRumors]

Apple has temporarily shut down its retail store located in Charleston, South Carolina after more than 20 staff members were exposed to or tested positive for COVID-19, reports Bloomberg.

According to the website for the store, it will be shuttered until Monday, August 23. According to Bloomberg, stores of this size typically have 70 to 80 employees, so around a quarter of the staff may have been exposed.

Apple appears to be suffering from staff shortages at the Charleston store and other retail locations, both because of COVID exposures and the difficult labor market. Stores remain operational at this time, but some have been forced to close earlier and open later because of a lack of staff.

Continuing issues with the delta variant of COVID-19 have impacted Apple's store plans. Apple stopped requiring customers and employees to wear masks back in June, but then reinstated mask mandates at many retail locations in the United States in late July. So far though, Apple has not reinstated widespread store shutdowns.

Apple had also planned to bring back in-person Today at Apple classes on August 30, but has since pushed back those plans because of the prevalence of the delta variant.

Article Link: Apple Closes South Carolina Store After COVID-19 Exposure, Other Stores Cutting Hours Due to Staff Shortages

 

[alexandr]

well, luckily apple isn't a, let's say, family-owned restaurant — they can survive this difficult labor market no problem.

 

[dannyyankou]

Understandable, it's a little difficult to operate a store with 25% of your staff out of commission

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

‘May have been exposed’ now equals “Let’s close for a few days”. ?

 

[fenderbass146]

I was told if you woke enough to work at Apple you were vaccinated…who care if you get COVID.

 

[farewelwilliams]

Thank you anti-vaxxers for the delta variant.

 

[bsbeamer]

Does Apple require employees to activate exposure notification on their work or personal devices?

 

[Sowelu]

The anti-maskers and anti-vaxers are 100% to blame for these variants and this never ending pandemic (in the US at least). Yet, these are the same fools who are saying 'enough is enough' but did nothing (and continue to do nothing) to help fight it.

We were attacked, we had the weapon to combat it and win, but no, half the nation is part of a cult who felt the need to side with the enemy (Covid) just to own the libs. Even though their cult leaders are fully vaccinated. Idiots.

And now, unvaccinated people are dying from a 99% preventable virus/disease. And the cycle will continue as we try to chase variants with boosters. We learned nothing in the 100 years since the last pandemic, despite having the technology and money to end it.

 

[fenderbass146]

Thank you anti-vaxxers for the delta variant.

Delta came from India before the vaccine existed…but sure blame Americans that don’t have the vaccine.

 

[contacos]

That’s more cases than Australia or NZ needs to lockdown the whole continent 😅 well done Apple

 

[DanTSX]

Ugh here we go again.
MANDATORY VACCINES NOW!
MANDATORY MASKS NOW!

 

[fenderbass146]

The anti-maskers and anti-vaxers are 100% to blame for these variants and this never ending pandemic. Yet, these are the fools who are saying 'enough is enough'. We were attacked, we had the weapon to combat it and win, but no, we ****ed it up.

How is a variant the started in India and really only killing unvaccinated people blamed on Americans 100% or really at all.. Quit gas lighting.

 

[Johnny907]

You’d think a trillion dollar company could afford to pay their staff well enough that keeping that location fully employed wouldn’t be an issue, and you’d be wrong.

 

[jimbobb24]

Thank you anti-vaxxers for the delta variant.

And other anti-science nonsense …

Luckily delta seems to be dramatically less lethal. Which is wonderful news. Hopefully that trend continues and everyone get kappa variant and it makes no difference because it is not deadly.

 

[Psychicbob]

Thank you anti-vaxxers for the delta variant.

Double jabbed people carry the same amount of virus as unjabbed. Therefore they are equal spreaders. Fwiw, I have had both AZ jabs

 

[DanTSX]

The anti-maskers and anti-vaxers are 100% to blame for these variants and this never ending pandemic. Yet, these are the fools who are saying 'enough is enough'. We were attacked, we had the weapon to combat it and win, but no, half the nation is part of a cult who felt the need to side with the enemy (Covid) just to own the libs. Even though their cult leaders are fully vaccinated. Idiots.

Vaccinated are getting and passing delta. More vaccines are needed.

 

[DanTSX]

And other anti-science nonsense …

Luckily delta seems to be dramatically less lethal. Which is wonderful news. Hopefully that trend continues and everyone get kappa variant and it makes no difference because it is not deadly.

Not for children…..(who can’t get vaxxed because the vaccines are still considered too dangerous for them)

 

[contacos]

Double jabbed people carry the same amount of virus as unjabbed. Therefore they are equal spreaders. Fwiw, I have had both AZ jabs

don’t tell that to Europe please. I like my perks like traveling across Europe without quarantine as a vaccinated person

 

[DanTSX]

You’d think a trillion dollar company could afford to pay their staff well enough that keeping that location fully employed wouldn’t be an issue, and you’d be wrong.

Why should they be forced to get breathed upon by anti vaxxers?

would you apply for their wage? Or even double their wage, to just get anti vaxxers breathing on you?

 

[brucewayne]

Thank you anti-vaxxers for the delta variant.

The Delta Variant started in India in Dec 2020, long before either country had even a percentage of their population vaccinated, and according to the CDC is spread just as easily by people with or without the covid vaccines. It is also less lethal which is why most people never know they were carrying it. The only thing that the vaccine is buying you is better chance against severe symptoms or death.

CDC document warns Delta variant appears to spread as easily as chickenpox and cause more severe infection

The Delta coronavirus variant surging across the US appears to cause more severe illness and spread as easily as chickenpox, according to an internal CDC document.

www.cnn.com

But hey, at least you'll get lots of likes by spreading hate against people that are weighing their risks vs vaccines that 9 months and 100's of millions of doses later still do not have full FDA approval and still have their manufacturers protected from any liability.

 

[nvmls]

More coffee anyone..?

 

[ugahairydawgs]

Double jabbed people carry the same amount of virus as unjabbed. Therefore they are equal spreaders. Fwiw, I have had both AZ jabs

Legit question if anyone can answer.....at what point in the past year did people stop referring to shots as shots and instead started calling them jabs?

 

[DanTSX]

The Delta Variant started in India in Dec 2020, long before either country had even a percentage of their population vaccinated, and according to the CDC is spread just as easily by people with or without the covid vaccines. It is also less lethal which is why most people never know they were carrying it. The only thing that the vaccine is buying you is better chance against severe symptoms or death.

Then why are we worried about it?

There is no hate against people who share geographic origin with the virus. If anything, it is empathy and sympathy. I have Indian doctors calling it Indian variant

 

[DanTSX]

Legit question if anyone can answer.....at what point in the past year did people stop referring to shots as shots and instead started calling them jabs?

I call it an intermuscular injection

 

[HeavenDynamic]

If I worked there, I wouldn't feel save knowing that my store would only close if 25% of the team (!!!) is infected.