Postal Service updates procedures amid coronavirus pandemic

The U.S. Postal Service said in a statement Monday that it is implementing new procedures to help keep delivery workers and mail recipients safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the statement, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and the Surgeon General have said there is no evidence indicating that the virus is being spread through mail and packages.

The Postal Service is implementing the following procedures to further prevent the spread of the virus:

For deliveries that require a signature, drivers will knock on the door instead of ringing the doorbell. They will stand a safe distance from the door and ask for the recipient’s name instead of a signature.

Deliveries will be left in mailboxes or on front steps instead of handed directly to customers. Post office lobbies will be limited to 10 customers at a time to promote safe social distancing, and there may be a plastic barrier at the counter between customers and employees.

Employees are equipped with masks, gloves and sanitizing products every day, and all cleaning is done consistently with guidance from the CDC.

“The United States Postal Service is proud of the work our more than 600,000 employees play in processing, transporting, and delivering mail and packages for the American public,” the statement said. “Providing a vital public service is part of this nation’s critical infrastructure.”

Contact Alexis Egeland at aegeland@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0335. Follow @alexis_egeland on Twitter.