Microsoft closes all Microsoft Store locations amid coronavirus outbreak
Microsoft Store employees will continue to be paid for their scheduled hours, Microsoft says.
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What you need to know
Microsoft announced today that all of its Microsoft Store locations are closed until further notice. The move is part of Microsoft’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, which is growing in scope around the globe. It also follows a recommendation by the U.S. government to limit social gatherings to no more than 10 people.
For the safety of our customers and employees, we are closing all global Microsoft Store locations, effective immediately. For help, please visithttps://t.co/tzwDaQSY0k.pic.twitter.com/KjMr8TQh3yFor the safety of our customers and employees, we are closing all global Microsoft Store locations, effective immediately. For help, please visithttps://t.co/tzwDaQSY0k.pic.twitter.com/KjMr8TQh3y— Microsoft Store (@MicrosoftStore)March 17, 2020March 17, 2020
“We are closing Microsoft Store locations to help protect the health and safety of our customers and employees,” Microsoft said in an email to customers. “During this unprecedented time, the best way we can serve you is to do everything we can to help minimize the risk of the virus spreading.”
Beyond closing down its stores, Microsoft committed to continuing to pay its Microsoft Store employees for their regularly scheduled hours.
Additionally, Microsoft issued ajoint statementon its response to the pandemic with LinkedIn, Google, Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, and YouTube.
A joint industry statement on COVID-19 from Microsoft, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Reddit, Twitter and YouTube:pic.twitter.com/uKEXvjMuBiA joint industry statement on COVID-19 from Microsoft, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Reddit, Twitter and YouTube:pic.twitter.com/uKEXvjMuBi— Microsoft (@Microsoft)March 17, 2020March 17, 2020
Coronavirus (COVID-19) has rocked every industry in recent months as the virus has continued to spread around the globe. A number of upcoming industry events have been canceled, includingMicrosoft Build, and companies have implemented work-from-home and social distancing policies to help limit the spread of the virus.
As of this writing, the total number of coronavirus cases has swelled north of 182,000 with more than 7,000 deaths. To keep up with the latest numbers, Microsoft this week launched acoronavirus tracker on Bing.
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Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter@DthorpLand Instagram@heyitsdtl.
