Coronavirus Vaccine Letters ‘Prioritised” By Royal Mail, Says Isle Of Wight MP

Coronavirus vaccination letters are being ‘prioritised’ by Royal Mail on the Isle of Wight, says the Island’s MP.

MP Bob Seely says he wrote to them after Islanders expressed concerns about delays in receiving their invitations for a COVID vaccine.

According to Mr Seely, they are “working hard” to make sure that test kits, PPE and vaccination letters get to Islanders “as quickly as possible”.

In his newsletter he said:

‘I wrote to Royal Mail regarding recent postal delays and I have received assurances that they are prioritising vaccination letters and drawing in extra resource to cope with the demand.

‘Understandably, they have received a huge increase in demand for their services throughout the pandemic and, like everyone, they have undergone significant changes to their working practices to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.

‘They are working hard to make sure that COVID test kits, PPE and vaccination letters get to those who need them as quickly as possible.

‘I thank them for their hard work and dedication in keeping our country connected and ensuring vital supplies get to where they are needed.’

A Royal Mail spokesperson told Isle of Wight Radio: 

“Across the UK, our people are working hard to deliver as comprehensive a service as possible to all our customers in challenging circumstances. Despite our best endeavours, it is possible that some areas of the country may experience a reduction in service levels due to higher volumes of mail during the lockdown, the ongoing impact of COVID-related staff absences and necessary social distancing measures at local mail centres and delivery offices.

“Right from the start of this crisis, we have played a key role keeping the country connected.  Every single letter and parcel is important to us. We are working closely with public health authorities and other letter carriers to play our part in the delivery of vaccination letters and are prioritising these items for delivery. 

“Like most organisations, we have a number of employees who are self-isolating in line with government guidance. This has a direct impact on our staffing levels, especially in areas where there are higher levels of local outbreaks. We are working hard to deliver as normal a service as we can, drawing in extra resource and offering additional overtime where possible.

“We remain grateful to all our customers in these areas for their patience and understanding as our dedicated workforce work hard to deliver these exceptional volumes, whilst also adhering to necessary social distancing measures. We always endeavour to keep our customers updated on any changes to our services. We have a dedicated section on our website https://www.royalmail.com/coronavirus. Throughout the pandemic, every decision we make puts the health of our people and customers first.”