Postal staff isolating as Covid at Bury St Edmunds office

More than 30 postal workers from Royal Mail’s delivery office in Bury St Edmunds are isolating following a positive Covid case.

It it understood about 36 people are not able to work currently due to a case of coronavirus amongst the team.

This comes less than a month after Bury St Edmunds was included in a list of 28 areas in the country suffering from limited Royal Mail delivery services due to high numbers of staff being affected by Covid-19.

A spokesperson for the CWU (Communication Workers Union) said: “We are aware and we have been dealing with enquiries and concerns from members at Bury St Edmunds delivery office.”

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Royal Mail takes the health and safety of its colleagues, its customers and the local communities in which we operate very seriously.

“There is currently one colleague that has tested positive for coronavirus at Bury St Edmunds delivery office. We wish them a speedy recovery. Some colleagues are also self-isolating.  

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“We have carried out an intensive clean of the site and have organised additional cleaning of key touch points and all communal areas. We are keeping the CWU, Public Health England and colleagues updated.”

In April last year, staff walked out of the delivery office in Skyliner Way over working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic.

CWU members there had felt they were not able to maintain appropriate social distancing.

It is also understood deliveries are currently affected in the Hadleigh area due to Covid affecting the delivery office there.

One resident in Monks Eleigh said they had had no postal deliveries since Tuesday.

The Royal Mail spokesperson added: “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.

“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.”

They said all staff had been briefed about the social-distancing measures jointly agreed by local management and the CWU.