Post delayed as Royal Mail staff in Burnham-on-Sea self-isolate after Covid alerts

POSTAL deliveries to residents in Burnham-on-Sea, Highbridge and surrounding areas have been delayed, because of staff having for self-isolate due to Covid-19.

The Weekly News understands that 14 Royal Mail staff members have been off work, although none of them have tested positive for the virus themselves.

As a result, some residents have not been getting their post since Thursday last week (March 11).

Royal Mail confirmed that Burnham has been impacted by NHS Test and Trace alerts asking people to self-isolate, with a a direct impact on staffing levels.

The Burnham-on-Sea Delivery Centre (on Dunstan Road) is due to have staff members returning to work this week, however, so it is hoped that they can catch up on deliveries soon.

A Royal Mail spokesman told the Weekly News: “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.

“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.”

The spokesman added: “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, while also adhering to necessary social distancing measures.

“We always endeavour to keep our customers updated on any changes to our services, and we have a dedicated section on our website [here].

“Throughout the pandemic, every decision we make puts the health of our people and customers first.”