The Christmas season is always busy for An Post but like so many sectors and workers Irish society, this year will be a very different one due to the impact of COVID-19.
With shops closed during the Level 5 restrictions, An Post has seen a spike in packages as shoppers buy online.
With an increased workload, An Post is asking customers for patience as they deal with this unprecedented surge that has seen an increase of 130% in the number of packages it is delivering in comparison to 2019.
The postal service has seen a deluge of queries on social media from customers about late packages.
"Please be advised that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, parcel volumes have peaked beyond Christmas volumes and for the safety of our staff in our mail centres and those delivering the mail, our operational procedures have increasingly slowed due to social distancing protocol set out by the HSE. Sincere apologies about this issue.
"We send out our mail items and then we have no control how long it takes to deliver. Due to COVID-19, it has disrupted all deliveries all over the world. Some mail takes longer to get to their destination quicker than others. As always, your patience is much appreciated," a spokesperson said on Twitter.
While An Post workers are out delivering evenings and weekends, the postal service has asked customers to be patient and expect delays due to the unprecedented demand.
For those that have ordered items, An Post is encouraging people to avail of their 'Track and Trace' function on the An Post website.
In order to do so, customers will need to enter their tracking numbers or order numbers. You can track up to 5 items at a time.
At present, shops are scheduled to open again in December, which should ease some of the burden on An Post staff but for the time being, the postal service will continue to deliver millions of parcels this week.
However, do note the reasons why some items might be delayed.
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