Talking hygiene when it comes to shipping and receiving parcels has never been more important than it is right now. Of course, we have always extensively inspected our shipping products and vehicles in order to make sure that the goods shipped internationally get to their destination safely, and furthermore meet all of the legal requirements of the country that they’re traveling into.
Our hygiene inspections are now more prevalent than ever before. It’s not as though we’re out looking for something we can see such as rodents and pests. It’s more difficult than ever before because the coronavirus can live and be spread via human contact with surfaces – furthermore shipments. So how can we ensure that parcels are shipped and received safely throughout the coronavirus pandemic?
Read on to find out more.
Contact Free Delivery is Key
After the product was shipped into the local area, delivery drivers take over responsibility for delivering the parcel safely. Whereas once upon a time there was no issue with having a chat with your delivery driver, face to face at the door, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus and its’ consequent social distancing laws coming into place, this can no longer be done safely.
Delivery drivers are directly at risk of contracting coronavirus because they see several different people in the one day – whereas most of us, key workers aside, have been mostly restricted to our other household members. This also puts them at direct risk of selling it.
But in a time where going out is more difficult than ever before, the delivery has become all the more important for us, because it gives us access to the things that we need without us having to leave the safety of our homes. Queue the introduction of contact-free delivery.
Pretty much wherever you order from, you can now request, or will automatically be assigned contact-free delivery. This is one of the key ways of ordering and acquiring delivery safely, and keeps not only you, but your appointed courier safe too. The vast majority of the time, this very simply includes a knock at the door, and your parcel is left for you. It’s as easy as that!
Open Your Packages Outdoors
As we mentioned up above, it has been proven that coronavirus can live and be spread when left on surfaces by the human hand. Although we are meticulous in our cleaning of parcels in the shipping process, once the parcel is passed onto the courier, there really isn’t a lot we can do.
This makes it likely that before your parcel reaches you, it will have passed through the hands of several different parties, before finally arriving at your home. This makes the probability of germs being passed onto you – and surfaces in your household – all the more probable when opening your parcel.
With this in mind, we would recommend that you consider opening your packages outdoors, rather than in your home – and then throw the exterior packaging straight into the outside bin. On coming back into your home, wipe the package down with an anti-bacterial wipe, and be sure to thoroughly wash your hands.
Of course, we aren’t scientists, and can’t promise that it’s 100% affective, but given the scientific evidence and government advice, we would suggest that this is the safest way to open your packages at home right now.
Clean Packages Prior to Sending Them
On the other side of the coin, we’re going to be looking a little more at how you can send parcels and packages safely.
Very basically, clean them with anti-bacterial, disinfectant products prior to sending. It’s really that simple, and it won’t take you long. Furthermore, wearing a fresh pair of latex gloves when packaging whatever it is that you’re sending is also a good idea.
Show Your Appreciation
Last of all, but by no means least, be sure to show your appreciation to the key workers and shipping companies who make these deliveries possible.
We work incredibly hard to ensure that the maximum safety levels are achieved, particularly in this difficult time, and any appreciation shown means a lot. Particularly to those delivery drivers who are actively putting themselves at risk, day in, day out in order to ensure we can all get what we need.
Stay safe, stay home, and disinfect your parcels. It’s really that easy.
