3 Popular Questions About Coronavirus and International Deliveries, Answered
The pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has affected most services and businesses, including national postal agencies and shipping couriers. People who are waiting for their packages to arrive are wondering how long it is going to take and whether their parcels will arrive at all. And, of course, many people worry that they can become infected from touching imported goods from China or, say, Italy. Today, we will answer several coronavirus-related questions that have to do with parcel delivery.
Is It Safe to Receive Letters and Packages from Affected Countries?
Coronavirus is spread from one person to others via respiratory droplets produced by coughing, sneezing, or talking. Theoretically, one can get infected by touching a surface that has been contaminated with virus-containing droplets and then touching their mouth or eyes. However, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) doesn’t survive long on surfaces, especially when temperature and humidity conditions are not favorable.
Parcels, especially international shipments, travel a long distance, besides, temperature and humidity are not consistent in transit. The new coronavirus doesn’t survive the journey, and there is no evidence that people can become infected from contact with letters or packages arriving from China, Italy, or elsewhere. According to the World Health Organization, people receiving packages and letters are not at risk of contracting the virus, especially when ordering internationally. Of course, you should still wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face.
Will There Be Delays in Shipping?
While the majority of cargo flights haven’t been canceled yet, in contrast to passenger flights, there can still be shipping delays due to a number of reasons. First, carriers occasionally make use of passenger aircraft to deliver parcels. If a passenger flight that was supposed to deliver your parcel gets canceled because of coronavirus, the carrier needs to find alternative ways to deliver it, which takes time. Second, there has been an increase in people shopping online, which has put a strain on online retailers and couriers.
Third, in the countries and regions most affected by the pandemic, mail and parcel services may be suspended. For example, there may be delays in delivering to/from China, Japan, Hong Kong, Italy, and Korea due to flight cancellations that do happen and a possible employee shortage.
However, most postal services and couriers do their best to keep delivering parcels and letters as normally as possible. If you’re expecting a package, check out the postal services website or call the helpline to get more information.
What to Postal Services and Carriers Do to Ensure the Safety of Their Employees and Customers?
Most postal services and shipping carriers around the world continue to operate on a regular schedule, but they do take steps to minimize the risk of spreading the infection. For example, they advise their employees stay at home if they have symptoms of respiratory infection (especially those associated with coronavirus, such as fever, cough and shortness of breath). Customers who are feeling unwell are also asked not to visit post offices to protect other customers and staff.
Some postal agencies have stated that parcels will not require a signature on delivery in order to minimize the risk of contracting or spreading SARS-CoV-2. Parcels that cannot fit into a letterbox will be placed at the door or left with a building manager.
To keep yourself and people around you safe, minimize trips to the post office. If you need to have a package shipped, you should print a shipping label online, attach it to the package, and schedule a package pickup. If you absolutely need to visit your local post office, please keep a safe distance of at least one meter from staff and other customers.
