Apple to re-close seven stores in Houston because of Covid-19 spikes

• Apple will re-close seven U.S. retail stores in the Houston, Texas area, the company confirmed.
• Covid-19 cases are rising in the state.

Apple has now re-closed 18 stores in the United States, including locations in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Arizona, which were re-closed last week.

Apple will re-close seven U.S. retail stores in the Houston, Texas area as Covid-19 cases rise in the state, the company said on Wednesday.

The stores will close on Thursday, according to hours posted on Apple’s website.

Apple last week re-closed stores in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Arizona for similar reasons, saying at the time: “We take this step with an abundance of caution as we closely monitor the situation and we look forward to having our teams and customers back as soon as possible.”

Apple Store locations tend to be in important shopping centers and malls, and can be seen as an indicator of how smoothly retail operations can re-open in the United States.

Apple has now re-closed 18 stores in the United States.

Apple was one of the first companies to shut its stores around the world in March in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the company says it is closely monitoring the Covid-19 situation on a region-by-region basis to make sure its safe to operate its stores.

Stores in the U.S. started to re-open in recent weeks with increased safety measures including mandatory masking, space for social distancing, and temperature checks. Many locations are only open for curbside pickup or service by appointment.