The Postal Service urges employees to wear face coverings and adhere to social distancing procedures as coronavirus infections continue to spike across the nation.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, face coverings and social distancing of at least 6 feet from others help reduce the spread of the virus, which is transmitted through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, breathes, sings or talks.
Face coverings help protect you from the respiratory droplets that can be inhaled or deposited on mucous membranes in the nose and mouth, and they help protect others. However, people can still spread the virus, even if they don’t have symptoms.
To help ensure your safety, USPS requires you to:
• Wear face coverings when there is a state or local order to do so and when in public or in the public-facing parts of postal workplaces. If you can’t wear a face covering for health reasons, immediately contact your supervisor to discuss reasonable accommodation.
• Wear face coverings even in the non-public portions of postal workplaces when social distancing of at least 6 feet cannot be maintained.
• Adhere to social distancing guidelines including while on delivery routes, while at retail counters and while inside postal workplaces, including plants, docks and lunch and break rooms.
You should also practice proper hygiene by washing your hands often for a minimum of 20 seconds. When soap and water aren’t available, use a 60-percent or higher alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Facilities should have sufficient coronavirus pandemic-related supplies on hand.
The Postal Service recently distributed a stand-up talk with this information.
