1 People queue up to enter the Apple store at Chadstone Shopping Centre on October 28, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. Photo: Daniel Pockett (Getty Images) Besides the official reports from states, the federal government, and entities like Johns Hopkins, there’s always been another, unorthodox way to gauge the severity of the pandemic: Apple Store closures. The company was one of the first major retailers to close its stores during the pandemic and has been openingand closing them ever since in response to fluctuating case spikes. Advertisement On Saturday, 9to5Mac noticed that new covid-19 restrictions and worsening outbreaks had led Apple to close all 53 of its stores in California, which as of Sunday had reported more than 1.8 million cases and more than 22,500 deaths. On Saturday, nearly 17,400 people in the state were hospitalized with confirmed or suspected covid-19 infections. Otheroutlets soon reported that these closures extended to Apple Stores in a number of states.