Apple Inc. has recently informed its employees that there will be a shortage of replacement iPhones due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

It was previously reported that Apple would have a shortage of iPhones due to the outbreak, but now it’s gotten worse as even replacement units are facing supply issues.

Employees who’ve talked to Bloomberg have mentioned that Apple has warned them of low supply for replacement iPhones and could take between two to four weeks.

To make matters worse, some Apple Stores reportedly have a shortage of individual parts to fix any minor damage on a user’s Apple device. Usually, the most common parts to get replaced are the screen, camera or battery, so if that’s in low supply, that’s going to lead to many frustrated customers.

Or, worse still, if someone brings in a damaged iPhone (the kind that is beyond repair), that user is going to have to get comfortable with using a loaned device while they get a replacement. Apple will mail over the replacement unit once it’s available.

Initially, many of Apple’s stores in China were closed. Many have since re-opened, so Apple likely mentioned the two-to-four-week delay as assurance that they’ll be able to meet their target supply within that timeframe.

This shortage of supply will likely affect even premium resellers (Machines, Mac Studio, Switch, etc.) in Malaysia, but if you ever damage your Apple device somehow, it’s best you call and ask about supply for either individual parts or a replacement unit first for further validation. As they get their supply directly from Apple (obviously), it’s possible they will not be able to fix or replace your device any time soon.

Now is definitely the time to be very careful of how you handle your iPhone, or any other Apple device. Protect it with a sturdy case (just buy one) or try to avoid dropping it too many times.