POSTAL WORKERS
locations in the city, said he is cognizant of all the doorknobs he has touched and tries to avoid shoppers when he delivers to the Stew Leonard’s supermarket.
He said he has adapted to the changes, but longs for a post-pandemic world.
“Even if this is two years, I pray I’m alive to see how our lives go back to normal again because I’d appreciate it and value it more than ever,” said Sklenarik, who has been a carrier for more than 26 years in Danbury. “I never thought I’d see anything like this, how scary it is.”
Homberg said she has grown more comfortable with being in public and has become more mindful of what she touches.
“In the very beginning, we were very apprehensive,” she said. “But as time went on, we adapted to life as it is. But I feel relatively protected by the supplies given to us.”
Sklenarik said misses his connection with his coworkers.
“There are some people I’ve worked with for 25 years that I feel like I haven’t seen in a month because we’re coming and going at different times,” said Sklenarik, who is the steward for the union.
The workers said their job is critical at this time.
Nationwide and locally, the post office is seeing a rise in packages at levels normally expected during the winter holidays, a post office spokeswoman said. While other mail volume has gone down, workers have prioritized delivering stimulus checks, Nguyen said.
Customers still appreciate the consistency of their mail delivery. “There are a lot of people home that are happy to see you and wave from a distance,” Homberg said. “It’s just a sense of normalcy for them that we are still out here.”