The Royal Mail delivery office in Margate has been hit by covid again with inside reports of around 20 staff either affected or isolating because they have been in contact with those testing positive.
The depot was last affected with staff off due to the virus in January.
A source said deliveries to Margate, Westgate and Birchington may be affected as a result of being short staffed.
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 are currently five colleagues that have tested positive for coronavirus at Margate Delivery Office. We wish them a speedy recovery.
“Some colleagues are also self-isolating. 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 Communication Workers Union, Public Health England and colleagues updated. We continue to deliver parcels and letters on a regular basis.”
After the first virus issue at Margate a Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We were the first UK company to put in place social-distancing measures in relation to parcel delivery. We pioneered contact-free delivery. We are temporarily not handing over our hand-held devices to customers to capture signatures.
“As well as encouraging good hand hygiene, standard ways of working have been revised to ensure that colleagues maintain appropriate social distancing at all times.
“All staff have been briefed about the social distancing measures jointly agreed by local management and the CWU. This has been supplemented with visible reminders such as posters and one-way floor markings.”
