COVID-19: Apple sends care packages to its employees in China

Beijing, March 1 (IANS) The Cupertino-based tech giant Apple has sent gift packages that include an iPad, face masks, hand sanitizer and more, to its employees stranded in Wenzhou and Hubei due to the coronavirus.

According to details shared on Chinese social network Weibo, the care packages also enclosed with a letter from the iPhone maker to the employee saying that the iPads are provided for children’s online learning or to help pass the time during the prolonged stay at home, MacRumors reported on Saturday.

“We are sending our best wishes to you, on behalf of the entire Apple Team, together with another CareKit for you and your families. In the kit, you will find comfort items and an iPad which can be used to facilitate children’s online learning or help pass the time during the prolonged stay at home. In addition, a series of counselling and consultation services have been prepared especially for you to help you through this time,” the company added in the letter.

Optimistic that China is slowly bringing the coronavirus outbreak in control, Apple CEO Tim Cook has hinted factories in China that manufacture its devices may open soon.

“It feels to me that China is getting the coronavirus under control. I mean you look at the numbers, they’re coming down day by day by day. And so I’m very optimistic there,” Cook told Fox Business recently.

“On the supplier side, we have suppliers — you know, iPhone is built everywhere in the world. We have key components coming from the United States, we have key parts that are in China, and so on and so forth,” he was quoted as saying.

Apple has begun reopening its retail stores in China and according to the company’s regional Chinese website, 29 out of 42 stores were open for business on Monday.

The company earlier warned that coronavirus outbreak will affect its business in the January-March quarter as worldwide iPhone supply will be temporarily constrained.