Today, COVID-19 has locked people inside their homes, with streets, shops and malls that used to be flooded with people once upon a time, now remain deserted.?
However, with passing weeks, the lockdown is getting a little less difficult and with some easements coming in from the authorities our hope for a normal world once again lives on.?
Apple in the US has announced the opening of its stores across the world, months after being locked down. It has also revealed a structure to enable an environment that will keep customers safe from contracting COVID-19 in its stores.?
Apple¡¯s press release reveals that it is enabling limiting occupancy of people in each of its stores, depending on its size and space constraints, offering adequate space to each person and preventing contracting of the infection.
Apple has also stated that face masks/coverings will be mandatory for every person entering the store. In case you don¡¯t have one on you, the store will offer it for free. Moreover, upon entry, customers will go through temperature checks as well as health-related questions like cough or fever and recent exposure to someone with COVID-19.?
Apple has also announced that it will be conducting deep cleaning of its stores every day, specifically surfaces that are going to be touched often by people, along with the devices.?
We all are waiting for stores in India to open soon so we can soon start shopping, or even eating joints to munch on our favourite dish.?
And even though there is no timeline for such stores to open ( from the looks of it, it could take a really long time in India) they could take a lesson from what Apple is trying to to do enable a safe shopping environment for all.?
Limiting number of customers, thorough cleansing every night, and scanning temperatures for every visitor could help in creating a safer experience. Some food store chains have already set up guidelines in place such as wearing masks at all times, offering a token system to allow only a certain amount of people at a time, among others.?
Sure, many stores will have a set of challenges unique to their line of business -- like changing rooms or exchanges in apparel stores or testers in cosmetics stores. A newer approach to providing customers with a safer shopping experience will become imperative.