Apple Closes New York Stores as Omicron Cases Surge

Apple said Monday it is closing all 12 of its New York City stores as cases of the omicron variant rise across the sates.

Earlier this month, a US court ordered a nationwide vaccination campaign or testing for large companies, covering 80 million American workers. Opponents of the move rushed to the Supreme Court to overturn the decision.

An Apple spokesperson said that customers will still be able to take orders online in stores. Affected stores include outlets on Fifth Avenue, Grand Central and Soho.

Meantime, Apple shares closed 2.3% higher at $180.33.

"We are monitoring conditions regularly and will adjust both our health procedures and warehousing services to support the well-being of customers and employees," the company said in a statement.

Apple said it had temporarily closed three stores in the United States and Canada, earlier this month, after a spike in COVID-19 cases among store employees.

A U.S. court earlier this month ordered the reinstatement of a nationwide vaccine-or-testing COVID-19 mandate for large businesses, which covers 80 million American workers. Opponents of the move have rushed to the Supreme Court to overturn the reinstatement.