Santa Monica Apple Store employee tests positive for COVID-19

An employee at an Apple Store in Santa Monica, Calif., has tested positive for COVID-19, Apple confirmed on Friday, though the company has taken steps to ensure customer safety.

The Apple Store staffer tested positive for COVID-19 late Thursday while on leave from the Third Street Promenade store in Santa Monica. The unnamed employee took leave on March 2 to care for a relative and hasn't returned to the store since. It is unclear when or how the worker contracted the new coronavirus.

Three Apple staff members at its Irish headquarters contracted the disease earlier this month.

In a statement to TechCrunch, Apple said it consulted with health experts and deep cleaned the Santa Monica store after receiving word of the diagnosis. As of Friday, Apple Third Street Promenade remains open with normal hours.

Apple has taken measures to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, known as SARS-CoV-2, at its retail and corporate locations. That includes deep cleaning produces, minimizing physical contact with customers, "pausing" Today at Apple sessions and, in hotspots, store closures.

The company this week shuttered all retail locations in Italy, while reopening its fleet of 42 branded stores in China, albeit with reduced hours. Currently, all U.S. Apple Store locations remain open to the public.

Apple has reportedly extended available sick time to all employees and is also advising office workers in certain locations to work from home if possible.

Los Angeles County declared a local public emergency on March 4, and the City of Santa Monica also cancelled all large public gatherings. There were 40 confirmed COVID-19 cases in LA county as of March 13, the Los Angeles Times reported.

9 Comments

SpamSandwich 32917 comments · 19 Years

About 4 years ago

Think of it this way: Everyone on the planet will eventually get it. A fraction of those people will be harmed (reportedly in the 1-2% range, according to the latest, most accurate testing).

wood1208 2930 comments · 10 Years

Sorry for that employee but corona virus is more of scare than each of us getting it and than die. If you die than don't have to worry about anything. Peace. So, try to be safe but live life and keep going.

normm 653 comments · 16 Years

SpamSandwich said:

Think of it this way: Everyone on the planet will eventually get it. A fraction of those people will be harmed (reportedly in the 1-2% range, according to the latest, most accurate testing).

Probably over half, but not all. And the longer it takes, the fewer will die. Much better care will be available if we don't all get it at once, and after awhile there'll be effective drugs and vaccines. Slowing the doubling time a little can make an enormous difference! And the fraction harmed is much greater than you state: you're thinking of the number who die.

seanismorris 1624 comments · 8 Years

SpamSandwich said:

Think of it this way: Everyone on the planet will eventually get it. A fraction of those people will be harmed (reportedly in the 1-2% range, according to the latest, most accurate testing).

The percentage isn’t the problem, it’s the fact that it can be highly lethal to high risk individuals. If you have a compromised immune system and/or elderly it’s a huge problem.

If I got infected there’s a good chance it would be mild. But, I could be a carrier for 5 days and not express any symptoms. If I happened to have diner with my parents (and pass it on) there’s a good chance I’d lose at least one of them.

Also, remember the young whistleblower doctor. He looked to be in his 30s and good health...he died from the virus.

Don’t take the risks for granted and stay safe (take precautions).

dewme 5737 comments · 10 Years

SpamSandwich said:

Think of it this way: Everyone on the planet will eventually get it. A fraction of those people will be harmed (reportedly in the 1-2% range, according to the latest, most accurate testing).

Yep. The problem we have right now with ratios is that we don't know what the number in the denominator really is. Until we see an order of magnitude increase in testing we are all swirling in an open ended "thoughts and prayers" cloud of uncertainty. I really hope that we can all move beyond the mindless finger pointing and CYA mentality and attack the problem with a vengeance. If you're on a ship and there's a big hole in the hull, and you're taking on water, you'd better not be wasting your time arguing about who is to blame for the hole, you'd better be helping to plug the damn hole.