To think that only urgent parcel delivers should be made right now?

[Loooobyloo]

I've started delivering parcels for a well known parcel company. There is often six of us helping sort the parcels in a small depot, we then load into our own cars and deliver.

This morning one of the courier stang in sick saying he had symptoms of coronavirus. Most of us have been around this guy, he's handed hundreds of parcels to customers.
It just made me think, shouldn't only urgent deliveries be happening right now? It seems a bit mad to be putting ourselves and all our customers at risk for the sake of a new toy or item of clothing you won't be wearing for a while.

I had no choice but to order online for my son's birthday. I feel horrendously guilty for doing so as nothing I've ordered is classed as essential but it was either that or him have nothing to open, on top of already having to cancel any birthday related plans.

It's a shitty situation for retailer, delivery companies and the online shoppers and there doesn't seem to be one right answer to suit them all.

I've been ordering. Mainly for things I will need to support the kids doing homework at home.

All our deliveries have been contactless. They ring the doorbell, leave on the doorstep and then I take the packages in, disinfect them and then wash my hands. I think as long as all precautions are taken, it should continue.

i suspect someone will think about that when delivering my parcel next week from boots, its only make up in it but was ordered before we officially went into lock down

@GuyFawkesDay we were run off our feet yesterday! Today was a little quieter.

My partner works for Royal Mail. Disgustingly they are being made to work without extra health and safety equipment, no soap or sanitiser, no social distancing in the offices, being told they need to use their own cars (but won't be insured), or stay at home unpaid. Managers who put themselves at risk by going to huge public events, now have passed the virus onto lots of other people who are now off sick. No matter what spiel they spout on social media, you only have to read replies to their tweets and FB posts to see that it's not just his office in this situation. Workers, their families (i.e. our 3 year old and 10 month old) and the general public are being put at risk EVERY SINGLE DAY but nobody seems to care. All to deliver leaflets for shops that aren't even open.

I also work doing deliveries... I'd rather carry on working (delivering to doorstep, knocking to make sure someone gets it, but keeping a distance) and have happy people safe indoors with their books/games/toys/gadgets/craft supplies/fancy new shoes/contact lenses/medications than have people get frustrated and start flouting the restrictions.

I have very little contact with other people during my working day and am careful to keep my hands clean and not to touch my face etc, so I do feel safe enough, but I understand that not all workers will feel the same.

Yes I've been wondering this. Really it's down to your employer to keep you safe - delivery people are key workers and we need to look after them.

However I have children who've drawn artwork for their isolated, very elderly great granny and great aunties. Now that off licenses have been told they can stay open, which basically qualifies alcohol as an essential purchase, I'm inclined to think that posting the odd "frivolous" letter is probably ok too.

[Moonpig] Essential? I very much doubt it.

To some people, especially those not online, a card or gift through the post can be a real boost to their mental health (well, actually it can to all of us!). Phone calls are great, but transient. Having something you can hold in your hands and look at over and over is quite valuable when you are lonely and alone.

It may not be in the same "directly essential" category as loo roll or food, but at the same time, it is not not essential, either.

(And of course the underlying employment of people in the chain that made the card, packed it, transported it and delivered it)

Is delivering risky? Around here they have been wearing gloves, leaving parcels on the doorstep and walking away. So no actual contact with anyone. I suppose the virus could be on the parcel itself but wearing gloves and frequent hand washing should reduce that risk significantly. There are certainly more dangerous jobs out there.

Also as others have said the definition of "essential" is so loose, who would be coming up with that list? And what is essential to some is not essential to others.

We do need to keep the economy going somehow for when all this is over.

@chipsandpeas I'm not judging people who order and also realise a lot of things were ordered ages ago. I love that I'm delivering to people who are stuck at home and making their lives a little easier. I've been delivering loads of exercise equipment, which is great!

I do understand your point, but I also agree with a lot of others here. The economy needs to keep going, but also, who decides what's essential and what's not? Yesterday I ordered a whole load of stuff I need for my hospital bag for labour, but someone could easily look at my order of massive knickers and nighties etc and think they were non-essentials.

I think it's very difficult to monitor what parcels are being delivered. I'm ordering things because I'm not leaving my house at all due to being in the highest risk category, as is the person I live with. I've ordered first aid items, things to use for work, toiletries, a book and packaged food items. I got an email saying some clothes I'd ordered a few weeks ago were out for delivery and I did feel very awkward that a variety of people are having to deal with that package to get it to me when it's something I wanted not needed

@BuzzShitbagBobbly absolutely agree. I have a newborn baby and I will be sending some photos to my elderly great grandma. This requires me to online order the photos and have them delivered, then post them with a card to my great grandma.

This is not essential. However she has never met her great great grandchild and wont see them for at least 3 months. The chances are she may never meet them. The boost to her mental health of having some photos of us will be massive.

It’s not true that people don’t care, that’s a bit heavy, clearly the post needs to get through, although not junk mail.

And obviously employees should be able to social distance and protect themselves, if employers cannot provide sanitisation, it’s not easy to get, then asking employees to provide their own is ok in my view, if they can’t get it, a pair of gloves or some anti bac spray cleaner they should speak to their boss.

But I think that it’s important to acknowledge the modelling to manage the nhs is done based on a percentage of the population working. And that it needs to be balanced with the economy and the needs of the public,

Our taxes are going to increase to pay for this, and many people will struggle with that when it happens, it is what it is, we need to do what we have done and are doing and protect peoples incomes, homes, jobs etc, but we also need to understand it’s not a blank cheque with no pay back, there is no magic money tree.

So you need to balance managing the health service and the illness, and manage what’s going to happen financially to each and every one of us when it’s over, and how bad we let that get.

Not an easy answer.

I run a small business from home. I have had 4 deliveries today and Royal Miail- essential to keep my income going.
All the drivers without exception have rung the doorbell and left the items on the doorstep.
My next door neighbours have had deliveries from a local butcher and a wine merchant- preferable to them going out shopping I think.

I've been delivering loads of exercise equipment, which is great!

That seems even less essential or urgent than most things!

There is a guy in France(?) who ran a marathon by going back and forth on his balcony, so its not like you can't exercise in the home, or make full use of the time we're allowed to leave home every day.

YouTube is absolutely rife with videos if people want to be taught in home, and they don't need specialised equipment (I was doing tricep dips off my coffee table just yesterday!)

This is what I mean about "who draws the line". I'd rank personal comms and similar mentally beneficial acts to family and friends as a better use of delivery time than a new Peloton bike, whereas others may rank them in the oppose order. Neither of us are wrong, because its a subjective thing.

Our taxes are going to increase to pay for this, and many people will struggle with that when it happens, it is what it is, we need to do what we have done and are doing and protect peoples incomes, homes, jobs etc, but we also need to understand it’s not a blank cheque with no pay back, there is no magic money tree.

This and the earlier comment about being blunt about the cost in future tax raises. All over MN particularly people are saying the don't begrudge anyone anything at this time, whatever the cost. We will eventually get the bill though...

Who would determine what was essential though?
Plus, we need some relief from it all, atm. That's coming from a skint person with no money to order stuff
I think if you keep your distance, wear gloves, use sanitizer and lower the risks as much as you can.

It's ironic i was reading this when the doorbell just went with my Amazon order. Nothing exciting just a nasal spray but I am glad I could still order.
However the driver was still stood on the doorstep when I answered it with parcel in hand with no attempt to move away or leave on floor! I moved away as soon as i opened the door and took parcel that he held out but have washed hands after.
Just felt it was a bit thoughtless of him.

Although I totally understand where you are coming from I've ordered online as it's my sons birthday in two weeks, he will be 6 and we are having to self isolate so without ordering he wouldn't have got a card or many presents and he's already missing out as the surprise trip I planned for him has had to be cancelled and he can't see any of his friends or family not even his dad :( .

I had already bought him a games console but had not gotten round to games ect.

I've also ordered a yoga mat.

Not essential no, but as I can't get out to my yoga class anymore, I really need that time each night/morning to practice as it helps with my anxiety which as you can imagine is very high at the moment. The kids have also found a love for yoga thanks to youtube which is helping them keep active.

So grateful workers such as yourself are still working to make self isolation more bearable.

Yes, we will get the bill and I think people are starting to realise that.

If it was put bluntly by the chancellor. Look I can shut everything down, but your taxes already will increase five percent per person from April, and by shutting everything past essential, you will all have a ten percent increase instead, many more people would say fuck no, let’s get back to work where possible and keep balancing this.

It’s brutal but that’s the reality. There is no way round it. The more this costs us, the more we need to pay back.

A lot of the stuff I've bought has been necessities...in that I'd need to buy them eventually anyway, so why not boost the economy now rather in a month or two.

Being off work means we have time to get much-needed DIY done, for example.

I do feel for you and appreciate the circumstances. However, it's by DCs birthdays over the next 2 weeks and I've just ordered their presents. I can't really expect them to do without!

So if sanitisers and antibacterial sprays are difficult to find, how do you expect workers to find them? Everywhere else seems to have adapted to at least TRY to maintain the safety conditions that have been put into place, yet RM have done nothing to protect their workers whilst in the office.

Royal Mail are a disgrace to work for at the best of times, but this just shows them for the greedy profiteering scum they really are.