Mail disruption due to Coronavirus
Cayman Islands – the Cayman Islands Postal Service informs that it has been required to extend the suspension of all postal operations from 6 April to 20 April.
During this period, the Cayman Islands Postal Service will cease all mail operations in accordance with a government directive to limit the movement of people. The resumption of operations on 20 April 2020 will be subject to review by the Government of the Cayman Islands nearer the time.
Curaçao – The Government of Curaçao has suspended all inbound and outbound international flights, with the exception of two KLM flights per week for incoming freight and medical assistance. This is having a direct impact on service quality for both international inbound and outbound services.
In addition, on 29 March 2020, the government announced a countrywide 24-hour curfew in force until 12 April, but exempted companies providing a vital service.
Cpost International is experiencing significant disruption to its daily operations due to the flight cancellations and other measures.
Since 19 March 2020, and until further notice, Cpost International has been operating a modified local delivery schedule with 50% of its delivery staff. This means that it is unable to guarantee delivery standards for letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items. Signatures will no longer be requested for any deliveries, and no proof of delivery can be provided until further notice.
With effect from 7 April 2020 the Retail Counter and Customer Service Department will also be operating with a reduced workforce.
French Polynesia – the postal operator will no longer accept letter-post, parcel-post or EMS items until national and international flights have resumed.
All post offices in French Polynesia have suspended home deliveries, as well as the delivery and collection of mail at post office counters.
Italy – Poste Italiane informs that the Italian Government has extended the period of application of the measures aimed at minimizing the spread of COVID-19 until 13 April.The list of the most affected municipalities is updated regularly and is available on the following page of the Poste Italiane website: www.poste.it/emergenza-covid19.html.
Kuwait – the Government of Kuwait has decided to extend the state of emergency until 1 May.
As a result, Kuwait Postal Sector is currently unable to meet its contractual obligations, particularly with regard to the acceptance and delivery of all types of mail (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) and the tracking of shipments (capture and transmission times).
Luxembourg – Post Luxembourg informs that the delivery of letter post will be subject to an exceptional suspension on 10 April.
Malawi – The designated operator of Malawi, Malawi Post Corporation (MPC), informs that is’s suspending international mail operations until further notice.
It is unable to guarantee outbound and inbound mail standards and asks to be exempted from the UPU’s quality measurement requirements for all categories of mail (letter-post and parcel-post items).
Mongolia – The international mail processing centre (MNULNA) will remain closed until 1 May. This closure may be extended, depending on the available transport capacity.
Nepal – the Government of Nepal has further extended the suspension of all incoming international flights until 30 April. This, together with the lockdown, which remains in force until 15 April, is affecting all postal operations.
Papua New Guinea – Post PNG informs that the Government has extended the measures taken to minimize the spread of COVID-19 for a further two months, until 1 June.
Portugal – the designated operator of Portugal, CTT Correios de Portugal, informs that the Portuguese Government has decided to extend the state of emergency until at least 17 April and to implement additional reinforcement measures.
These measures are having a severe impact on service quality for international inbound and outbound mail services.
Registered mail is now deposited in mailboxes, with the exception of registered mail with associated special services. In such cases, instead of collecting the recipient’s signature, the postman/postwoman will ask for the recipient’s given name and family name, and will enter this information, followed by “CV19” or “Contingência”, in the signature field on the handheld device.
Additional measures have been implemented whereby items subject to a delivery notice are now available for collection at CTT Correios de Portugal outlets and post offices for a longer period of time, namely 15 working days.
As stated earlier, CTT Correios de Portugal is unable to dispatch postal items to many destinations, owing to the extremely difficult air transport situation. Please visit www.ctt.pt/transversais/alertas-envios-internacionais#fndtn-tab1 for up-to-date information on the countries concerned.
CTT Correios de Portugal is currently unable to meet its contractual obligations, particularly with regard to delivery times, standard rules for signature on delivery, hand delivery, tracking of shipments (capture and transmission times), processing of cash on delivery, and insured value.
Rwanda – The designated operator of Rwanda (Iposita) informs that the Rwandan Government has decided to reinforce the measures aimed at combating the spread of COVID-19.
These measures affect the country’s postal services. The entire population is required to remain at home and to keep social contacts and movements around the country to a strict minimum. These measures will remain in force until 19 April.
While these restrictions are in force, Iposita will not be able to meet its normal contractual obligations, in particular as regards quality standards.
In addition, all passenger flights to and from Kigali International Airport have been suspended since 20 March 2020.
These measures have led to severe disruption of the processing and delivery of mail since 19 March 2020, and the whole postal network has been in complete shutdown since 23 March 2020. The processing of physical and electronic inquiries is also not possible for the time being.
Samoa – Samoa Post informs that the Government of Samoa has extended the state of emergency until 2 May. Samoa Post has therefore suspended all postal services, including all inbound and outbound mail (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items), until further notice.
Singapore – Singapore Post is now unable to accept open or closed transit mails of any kind for any destination until further notice.
In addition, it requests that all verification notes (VNs) be sent by e-mail. In line with Singapore Government recommendations, most people are now working from home, and sending VNs by e-mail will facilitate and expedite the handling of cases. Paper-based VNs can only be handled intermittently, and the normal standard of response cannot be expected at the moment.
Spain – the designated operator of Spain, Correos y Telégrafos informs that, owing to the suspension of flights to and from Spain, it is currently able to send mail (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) and parcels to the following countries only: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China (People’s Rep.), Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Korea (Rep.), Netherlands, Portugal, Russian Federation, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, USA.
Moreover, the Spanish Government has extended the state of alert declared on 14 March until 26 April in order to reduce the risk of the spread of the novel coronavirus. This state of alert may be further extended.
This will have a major impact on operations and, consequently, on quality of service for all types of inbound and outbound mail (letter post, parcel post and EMS).
Togo – the Togolese Government has declared a public health emergency, declared a curfew between 20.00 and 6.00, and modified working hours. It has also suspended commercial flights to and from most other countries, restricted movements around Togo and closed land borders, and is promoting social distancing.
These various measures will impact upon the collection, transmission and delivery of mail. Consequently, the Togo Postal Corporation will no longer be able to fulfil its obligations in terms of mail processing standards, or guarantee quality of service for letter-post, parcel-post or EMS items, until the situation returns to normal.
Vietnam – VNPost informs that the government is extending the measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19 to other locations as follows:
Binh Duong (820000-829999), Khanh Hoa (650000-659999), Dac Lac (630000-639999), Dong Nai (810000-819999), Tra Vinh (940000-949999), Lang Son (240000-249999), Long An (850000-859999), Can Tho (900000-909999), Bac Ninh (220000-229999).
Therefore, the delivery of letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items to these locations may be delayed and may not follow the service standards declared in the UPU compendia.