Irish postal workers on the forefront in the battle against Covid-19
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Ireland has found a readymade force in the fight against coronavirus: the postal service.
Postal workers have volunteered to check in on elderly and vulnerable people during their rounds, a potentially invaluable safeguard while such groups cocoon.
The employees suggested the idea to the Communications Workers’ Union, which took it to management and the government, who gladly accepted.
Postal workers are known and trusted by the people they serve, David McRedmond, the CEO of An Post, the Irish postal service, told a news conference.
“They’re going with a set of questions. Do they need food? Do they need pharmacy? Do they need to send out messages? And the postman or postwoman will take that back and we will look after that and make sure that gets fulfilled.”
An Post will take parcels and letters from vulnerable categories of people and deliver them for free. It will also deliver millions of blank postcards so those self-isolating at home can write to friends and relatives.
To combat misinformation, the government has published a booklet on coronavirus that will be sent to 2.2m households nationwide.
“There is a sense of national pride at the moment which is fantastic,” said the health minister, Simon Harris.
