Coronavirus update

During this unprecedented time with the outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), we hope that you, your family, friends and colleagues are safe and well, and are taking the necessary precautions to keep it that way.

Our number one priority is the safety of our customers and colleagues. We understand the impact this is having on our community, and we are implementing several measures to lower COVID-19 risk to ensure Islanders and businesses continue to receive mail and parcel deliveries.

We continue to work closely with our postal and logistics partners across the world to ensure the service we provide at this unprecedented time continues.

Current situation 

On Sunday 29th March, Government of Jersey announced that the island was to go on lockdown as of 08:00 Monday morning. You can find the most up to date information on the Gov.je website by clicking here. 

Colleague precautions

What guidance are you providing to Jersey Post colleagues?
We take health and safety very seriously. With all mail handling and other roles, we are recommending;

• Good hand hygiene is maintained to minimise the risk of any infection.
• Disposable gloves are made available to anyone on request through their line manager.
• Carry disposable tissues. Dispose of the tissue carefully – “Catch it, bin it, kill it.”
• We already provide antiseptic wipes for handheld shared items, including PDAs, finger scanners and multi-use keyboards. 
• Face masks are provided on request. 

Other tips include:

• Always wash hands before eating.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Do not share snacks from packets or bowls that others are dipping their fingers into.
• Regularly clean not just hands, but commonly used surfaces and devices you touch or handle.

What precautionary actions are you taking to ensure the health and safety of colleagues?
We take the wellbeing of our employees very seriously. In line with official guidance, we are advising colleagues that good hand hygiene is the first and most important line of defence. As well as recommending regular washing with soap and water, disposable gloves are available to our people on request through line managers. This already forms part of our good hygiene practise (full list of recommendations above). We are also introducing the following new measures: 

• The introduction of social distancing at Post Offices to safeguard customers and staff
• Hands-free capturing of customer details directly, avoiding the need for customers to handle counter equipment such as signing pads and pens
• New signing procedures no longer requiring the customer to sign for mail deliveries requiring a signature
• The introduction of split shifts to improve social distancing and reduce the spread of COVID-19 while continuing to deliver mail and parcels for Islanders
• Customer who are signed up to our SecureDrop service will have items delivered directly to their SecureDrop location, rather than Postal Operatives knocking on the customers door first.  
• Our postal operatives will not be handing out their handheld devices for customers to sign for their items. Instead, they will ask the customer if they mind us signing on their behalf. The postal operative will then type in the name of the customer and sign the handheld as "Jersey Post". If the customer refuses this approach, then a "Missed Delivery" customer advice note will be written and they will have to come and collect their item from Postal HQ.

Will you provide masks?

Face masks are provided on request. However, PHE currently states that while face masks play a very important role in clinical settings like hospitals, there’s very little evidence of widespread benefit from their use outside these settings. 

Business Mail 

What happens to the collection and delivery of business mail during Isolation/Closure of businesses? 
We are aware that some businesses are concerned about receiving and signing for their mail. We have therefore introduced the following measures: 

• We are offering 50% off all business mail redirections during Covid-19. This offer has now ended. 
• If your business would prefer not to directly receive mail or sign for mail items, you have the option to collect from our Jersey Post Headquarters at Rue des Pres.
• If your business would prefer not to have your mail collected from your office, you can drop it off to Jersey Post at Rue des Pres or Broad Street.
• If your business is refusing mail or on lock down, please ensure we are notified ahead of the closure to ensure we stop delivering mail to your business. 
• When collecting your mail, please ensure you provide proof of Identity and evidence of your employment.

For businesses who have not yet made alternative delivery and collection arrangements:

In order to maintain our wider service, if your business currently pays to receive an afternoon collection please ensure it is ready an hour earlier than usual. If you no longer require an afternoon collection, please advise your Account Manager to suspend your collection service.

Our Counters at Broad Street and Rue Des Pres remain open if you can safely drop mail or collect (RdP only).

If you want to make any temporary changes, as above, to your delivery and/or collection service, please contact your Account Manager. 

Customer Advice

We have drawn up a list of measures to protect our staff and prevent the spread of the virus by asking you to think about safety first when receiving post and parcels:

• Sign up for SecureDrop
• Sign up for 24/7 Parcel Lockers
• Clean your letterbox and SecureDrop daily
• Maintain social distancing when receiving a delivery
• Only visit post offices if absolutely necessary and maintain social distancing when visiting
• Maintain good hygiene as per official guidelines
• If you see a postie coming towards your door, please DO NOT OPEN YOUR DOOR. We will sign your parcels and letters for you.
• We will leave the parcel, food or medication on your doorstep and then knock. Give the postie enough time to step away from the door.
• If you are already outside your house, go inside or step away 2 metres from your postie. Please do not approach your postie.
• Remember we are only trying to help protect you from this virus.

Travel Arrangements and self-isolation

What is your advice for colleagues who return from affected areas overseas?
If a colleague has returned from an affected area overseas, we are advising that they speak to their line manager before returning to work. In some cases, it may be that they are advised to self-isolate for two weeks before returning to work following a call to their GP.

What happens if an employee needs to self-isolate?
If a colleague has been advised to self-isolate as a precautionary measure after calling, other colleagues in the workplace should continue with business as usual. Colleagues should maintain good hand hygiene and use antibacterial wipes where necessary. Should anyone has concerns, they should contact the helpline on 01534 445566 for advice.

What are you saying to colleagues who are ill following travel to an impacted destination?
Anyone who has recently returned from any of the infected countries self-isolate and stay at home for 14 days, call their GP or the help line and report their recent travel.

Confirmed infections

What does self-isolation mean for people who don’t have symptoms?
Health officials advise that just like when you have the flu, individuals should remain at home and should not go to work or public areas. Where possible, individuals should avoid having visitors to their home. Individuals should monitor their symptoms and call the helpline on 01534 445566 for advice if they develop any of the following symptoms - fever, cough or difficulty breathing.

In the case of a confirmed infection, will Jersey Post deep clean the workplace?
We take the health and safety of our employees very seriously. We are currently undertaking a weekly all surfaces deep clean. We have all the systems and processes in place to carry out deep cleaning of the entire property if required. Each case will be considered on its own merits.

Customer Guidance

Can you catch the Coronavirus from parcels and letters?
According to GOV.UK “there is no perceived increase in risk for handling post.”

PHE have advised there is nothing to suggest that surfaces outside the human host, such as mail packages, have the ability to transmit the Coronavirus. The World Health Organisation has also advised that coronaviruses do not survive long on objects, such as letters or packages.

Is it safe for customers to receive parcels and letters from China?

The World Health Organisation has advised that it is safe to receive parcels and letters from China. They stated that “people receiving parcels and letters from China are not at risk of contracting the new Coronavirus. From previous analysis, we know Coronaviruses do not survive long on objects, such as letters or parcels.”

Helpline

Call the helpline +44 (0) 1534 445566 if you think you may have the virus. The line is open every day from 8am to 8pm. If you call outside these times, or if the line is busy, please leave a message and someone will call you back.

Further information

You can find further information on Coronavirus on gov.uk and World Health Organisation website.