WITH the high risk of COVID–19 droplet infection from customers, postal officers have been provided with protective perspex screens by Australia Post.

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News Of The Area visited Lemon Tree Passage and Tanilba Bay Post Offices and they, along with other Port Stephens Post Offices, now have metre high wrap-around see-through screens fitted to their counters.

A small slot at the bottom has been cut into them for document transfer and payment.

Business has been brisk according to manager Mel Cameron from the Post Office.

“Our parcel post is up 800%,” she said.

“This is because online shopping has taken off since people are in lockdown. On top of this, people no longer visit relatives and friends so they send items and gifts through the mail instead,” she added.

According to postmaster Peter Wheeler, passport renewals, photos and travel related cash transfers are down and ‘snail mail’ (the traditional stamped envelopes) has risen slightly.

“There has been a long, slow decline in letters since emails have taken over but people now have a lot of time on their hands and are turning back the clock and writing letters to one another again,” he added.