POSTAL services worldwide, including Bahrain, have been hit by the Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) pandemic, it has been confirmed, writes the GDN's Sandeep Singh Grewal.

People in the country have not been receiving their mail or packages since most nations suspended flights and transport links.

As a result, Bahrain Post services related to international packages to and from some countries have been affected, causing delays to customers.

“However, local deliveries remain unaffected at this time thanks to the efforts of the National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus in enforcing a national strategy with measures in place to minimise the spread of the virus,” the Transportation and Telecommunications Ministry said yesterday, in response to a query from the GDN.

“Operations continue on the sorting and delivering of local packages and these are not seeing any delays at the current time.

“Bahrain Post would like to thank all of its customers for their understanding and patience during this important time, and our team is playing its role in maintaining the health and safety of all in line with the government’s directives on this matter,” added the statement.

Meanwhile, a senior Customs official told the GDN yesterday that an increased number of consignments were being screened now.

“Customs continues to work round the clock as we are screening and clearing more consignments, and continue to provide a wide range of online services,” said director general of Customs and Customer Services Waleed Abdulaziz Al Sabbagh.

“International cargo arriving by ships are being received regularly while consignments coming through flights have been affected.”

He said international logistics and courier delivery companies continue to operate as per their schedule.

UK’s Royal Mail said it was working with airlines and courier partners to maintain services during the pandemic.

“Most major export routes remain open and we continue to accept and process mail,” it said on its website.

“There are significant delays to a number of countries right now due to a lack of available transport links and suspension of certain country’s postal operations.”
However, Bahrain is not among the countries listed by Royal Mail that are being affected in connection to international delivery.

Manama is also not on the list of “Temporary Service Suspensions,” by the United States Postal Service

However, Japan Post has announced a list of 153 countries, including Bahrain and others in the Middle East, where it has temporarily stopped accepting international mail destined to those nations.