Worcester - ''Major disruption': Claims more than 30 city Royal Mail workers now self isolating

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MORE than 30 workers at the Worcester Royal Mail delivery office are understood to now be having to self isolate after one was diagnosed with coronavirus.

A whistleblower said they wanted to highlighted the issue at the Shire Business Park office as he suspected it was likely to cause an impact with deliveries to Worcester addresses this week.

The source said: "I understand the number of postal staff now off has gone up to 32.

"One of the postmen has been complaining for a while about inadequate provisions for social distancing and lack of hand washing on the Worcester site.

"He is livid because he has just finished a period of self-isolation due to contact with infected colleagues and now his manager has told him to comply with another self-isolation instruction."

The source said that it was understood the issues arised from an employee going into work, when they should have been self isolating, and started showing symptoms.

"It has caused major disruption," the source added.

The Royal Mail were contacted but no one was available for comment before our deadline.

The issues follow recent concerns at Malvern delivery office. Last month we reported eight workers there tested positive for coronavirus, and were forced to self isolate.

And a whistleblower later also raised concerns Covid-19 safety guidelines, such as mask wearing not being enforced and cleaning of the site, were not being followed.

In response the Royal Mail said there had been several deep cleans, and they were ensuring personal protective equipment was available to all staff who wanted it. Worcestershire’s director of public health Dr Kathryn Cobain said the risk to residents handling mail remained “low”.

Dr Cobain said: “Residents receiving mail should be reassured there is low risk of transmission of coronavirus via letters and parcels delivered. It is however good practice to wash your hands after opening your letters.”