Mail delayed by up to a week after postal workers told to self-isolate

‘Postal workers are under tremendous pressure and we ask the public to take that into account’

POST deliveries are being delayed after Covid “chaos” at depots resulted in scores of mail staff having to self-isolate.

Some people are reporting not receiving any mail for more than a week. Sources in the postal service told The Daily Telegraph that whole offices of workers were being taken out by test and trace.

The problems stem from postal staff working in close quarters in sorting offices meaning one infection can lead to dozens being told to isolate at home for up to 14 days.

The diminished staff levels were disclosed as the postal service deals with an unprecedented surge in parcel deliveries as people do their Christmas shopping online because of the lockdown.

Royal Mail said it was working to restore services in areas that had been affected by staff shortages.

The company also said it had hired a record number of festive casual workers – 33,000 – who are due to start later this month and help get through the backlog. Meanwhile, Royal Mail’s Twitter account is being peppered with queries from angry customers asking why they have stopped receiving mail.

One, Sarah Russon, said: “We have had no post for over a week. I am expecting some important items. We have not been notified of issues in Bristol. Will we actually get this post or should we give up?” One senior Royal Mail source told The Telegraph that

“whole buildings” were being emptied when a postal worker tested positive because staff worked “side by side”.

A second source with knowledge of the situation unfolding in sorting offices said: “It is absolute chaos. It is a complete and utter disaster out there and the parcel traffic is unbelievable.”

The problem is expected to be exacerbated before it improves by a further glut in parcels due from this week’s Black Friday sales.

The Communications Workers Union said its members had already had to deal with exceptional ci rcumstances throughout the pandemic. A spokesman for the union said: “Postal workers across the UK are under tremendous pressure and we ask the public to take that into account in the coming days and weeks. We are working closely with Royal Mail to ensure that every item gets delivered alongside keeping our members as safe as possible.”

Meanwhile, Royal Mail said: “Despite our best endeavours, it is possible that some areas of the country may on occasion experience a temporary reduction in service levels due to virus-related absences and necessary social distancing measures at their local mail centre or delivery office.”