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Apple is temporarily closing all of its California stores amid COVID-19 surge

People wearing a mask walk by a closed Apple Store in Santa Monica, California, on July 28, 2020. (VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)

Apple is temporarily closing all of its stores in California amid the surge in coronavirus cases that is straining the state’s hospitals.

The stores will be open for pickup of existing online orders, as well as previously scheduled in-store Genius Support appointments and previously reserved shopping sessions with specialists made through Tuesday, Dec. 22, according to an alert on Apple’s website.

The alert appears for all 53 California stores listed on Apple’s website.

“Due to current COVID-19 conditions in some of the communities we serve, we are temporarily closing stores in these areas,” Apple spokesperson Nick Leahy said in a statement. “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.”

It’s unclear when stores will reopen or whether the company is closing stores in any other states.

None of the Apple stores in neighboring Nevada or Arizona appeared to be closing, according to the website.

Check back for updates on this developing story.