Home run for non-essential deliveries

Wednesday 08 April 2020

Restrictions have been lifted on shops and businesses – excluding takeaways – providing home deliveries of non-essential goods, as long as strict hygiene requirements are met.

The States have decided to allow non-essential businesses to provide home delivery services, however shops will have to remain closed to the public and be manned by only a skeleton workforce.

The decision has been taken to make it easier for the community to stay at home, by making a wider range of goods and equipment available without having to go out, while also allowing a number of businesses to continue making a living.

"But we know we need to look after people's physical and mental health and wellbeing. That is why we're making some allowance now for a wider range of goods to be delivered to Islanders, as it will give us greater choice and more options while we stay at home." https://t.co/94SOpJpspp

— Gavin St Pier #GuernseyTogether #StayAtHome (@gavinstpier) April 7, 2020

Businesses are from today allowed to offer this service, providing they take specified measures designed to protect the health and wellbeing of staff and customers.

The following rules apply to the delivery of all goods:

• The goods can only be sold/bought online or over the telephone. Other than essential retail outlets lime supermarkets, shops are not to open to customers, and only one or two people may work on the premises to take and fulfil orders. Social distancing and hygiene guidelines must be in place.
• Businesses may use couriers to deliver items – couriers are designated as essential service providers. Couriers must also follow the delivery rules set out below.

1. Goods must be packed for delivery by no more than two people in line with social distancing and hygiene guidelines, including the wearing of gloves;

2. The deliveries must take place as part of a planned itinerary, and goods must not be sold by delivery drivers to other parties;

3. The deliveries must be undertaken by no more than one individual wearing gloves;

4. A 70% alcohol hand gel should be rubbed on the gloves between deliveries; and

5. The goods must be left on the doorstep of premises or in an agreed outside place – there must be no direct customer interaction.

The delivery rules will be enforced, and if people do not adhere to them, HSC President and Civil Contingencies Authority Member Heidi Soulsby said the CCA would have “no hesitation” tightening the restrictions again to help prevent community seeding. “This is not business as usual,” she reminded businesses at yesterday’s press conference.

#listentotheexperts @gavinstpier @HeidiSoulsby @DrNicolaBrink #guernseytogether pic.twitter.com/Jl3UthKELp

— Emma Atkinson (@EmsAtkinson84) April 7, 2020

Dr Nicola Brink explained why takeaways had not been whitelisted, despite a number of people questioning why, as they watched the live feed of the press briefing. 

“From our perspective it’s not just to do with the delivery part of it, it’s to do with preparation part of it as you have people going into a kitchen when we know they can’t possibly social distance because a lot of the kitchens are really small. So it’s the preparation component of it rather than the delivery component. We are in a situation where we don’t want to have virus seeding back out into the community and it’s for that reason – it’s nothing to do with the delivery component.”