The biggest iPhone factory in the world just got locked down, but some workers managed to escape days ago - Fortune

China’s “Covid Zero” argumentation has led to galore lockdowns, proviso concatenation nightmares, and the slowing of its economy.But the state is sticking with it. And aft respective COVID cases were Bloomberg reported, China is locking down the largest iPhone manufacturing works successful the world for 7 days to effort and curb the dispersed of the disease, Bloomberg reported Wednesday aft the section authorities announced it implicit WeChat. 

The lockdown announcement comes days aft reports that several workers person fled for fearfulness of getting trapped. One idiosyncratic identified by Zhuo by the Washington Post said that helium and 200 different radical made a interruption for it portion the institution was inactive operating arsenic a “closed loop,” oregon contained bubbles to minimize microorganism exposure, but not afloat locked down. He climbed a seven-foot partition and walked respective miles earlier idiosyncratic gave him a thrust home. 

Foxconn quadrupled regular bonuses for those deployed astatine the mill to 400 yuan ($55) a time from 100 yuan successful an effort to get them to stay, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing Foxconn’s authoritative WeChat account.

The mill employs 200,000 people, earning it the nickname “iPhone city,” and workers who trial affirmative for COVID volition beryllium forced into mandatory isolation, Bloomberg reported.

The country adjacent Foxconn Technology’s works successful Zhengzhou has been cleared of radical and vehicles who were not aesculapian oregon different indispensable workers. The metropolis reported 359 cases connected Tuesday—a three-fold leap from a time earlier.

A lockdown means that Foxconn employees volition not beryllium allowed to spell successful and retired of the mill for enactment astatine slightest till Nov. 9. The works volition proceed to run successful a bubble, according to Bloomberg. However, it is unclear however Foxconn volition facilitate accumulation with less workers than usual.

Foxconn did not instantly instrumentality Fortune’s petition for comment.

The Taiwanese company, Hon Hai Precision Industry, owns the Zhengzhou plant, which unsocial produces 4 retired of 5 of Apple’s astir caller iPhone models.

The lockdown volition apt wounded the accumulation and shipment of iPhones successful the lead-up to the vacation season. In September, Apple besides launched its caller enactment of handsets, the iPhone 14. During its fourth-quarter earnings call past Thursday, the institution said the proviso for its caller exemplary was constrained. The upcoming holidays volition beryllium captious for Apple arsenic much consumers question to bargain gadgets astatine this clip of year.

To code the spread successful supply, Foxconn is reportedly expanding accumulation astatine different mill successful Shenzhen, according to Reuters. It has implemented closed loops to minimize microorganism vulnerability successful March and July this twelvemonth astatine different mill determination successful China.

Workers person been frustrated with the strict measures, galore of whom person taken to societal media to speech astir it. Foxconn denied rumors astir the decease of its employees successful its dormitory, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.