There is a big debate whether couriers should be classed as essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people believe their services are required to help the community deal with lockdown and individual needs. Whatever you believe, couriers are still out in the public working hard.
So how can we keep them and the people they serve protected from the virus?
What Do Couriers Need to Do?
Some experts state that the best way to keep protected is to assume you have the virus and that you must try not to give it to another person. This is the opposite mentality of trying to avoid the virus or catching it from other people. If everyone did this, we would all maximise the chances of reducing the virus’s spread.
Couriers can take this advice to protect the people they are delivering to, but at the same time, ensure their own safety – as well as their families who they return to after a shift. Below are the best ways to do just that. Even if you are not a London courier at the epicentre of the UK virus, these tips are for everyone.
#1 Remember the Two-Metre Rule
A usual delivery would put you in close proximity to the person you deliver to. But there is a way around the problem. Couriers should leave the parcel on the doorstep or somewhere safe, knock on the door or ring the bell, and then step two metres away from the door. Therefore, when the person answers the door they can collect it and still adhere to social distancing rules.
#2 Sign for Deliveries Themselves
One of the biggest challenges for couriers in London and the rest of the UK is that some deliveries need to be signed for. Many businesses have relaxed the sign-for rules and are allowing customers to give couriers permission to sign on their behalf. This means the courier and the customer do not come into close contact or touch the same surfaces.
Couriers should seek their employer’s own procedure to tackle this immediate issue.
#3 Wash Your Hands
Even if you do not share a handheld machine to sign for the parcel, couriers still need to follow general guidance to stay safe. This means washing your hands frequently or using sanitising gel between deliveries. Couriers should also refrain from touching their face.
The information regarding how long COVID-19 stays on surfaces is still debated. The parcels being delivered may come from other countries and have been in the UK delivery chain, meaning multiple people will have touched them. Hand hygiene remains essential for mitigating the virus’s spread.
What Can Customers Do?
If you are not a courier but expecting a delivery, you should also follow the guidance given by the UK Government. Make sure your courier is away from the door when you open it by asking them to leave it on a step or somewhere safe. Wash your hands after handling the parcel and always notify the courier if you are self-isolating and do not want to accept the parcel today.
Couriers are likely to ask if you are self-isolating. Do not be offended as they are only doing their job.