Movement of Parcels from the UK – Everything Dinosaur Statement

Everything Dinosaur comments on the current situation.

The rapid spread of a new variant of the coronavirus has led to a number of European governments taking the decision to impose travel bans on the UK.  Countries that have temporarily closed their borders to the UK include Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium.  Other nations too, such as Turkey and Canada have suspended UK flights.  The European Union member states are meeting this morning (21st December) to plan a co-ordinated response.

Whilst it must be acknowledged that this is a fast-moving news story, Everything Dinosaur is aware that border closures and flight restrictions will affect postal operations and delays in the delivery of parcels will occur.

UK Government Advisers on New Infections have “Moderate” Confidence that the New Corona Virus Variant is More Able to Transmit – Everything Dinosaur Remains Open

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Further Delays to Overseas Deliveries

The restrictions began on Sunday, so overseas orders placed with Everything Dinosaur on Thursday (18th December), are for the most part unaffected as these will already have entered the international delivery system.  Some orders placed on Friday 19th December, will have been despatched that day, but these may now be delayed as they may not have left the UK prior to the new restrictions being put in place.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“The last recommended posting dates for parcels being sent overseas have passed.  For example, the last recommended posting date for airmail services for a Christmas delivery to Belgium, France and Ireland was Friday 18th December.  Our team members have been working exceptionally hard to get parcels despatched as quickly as possible.  The international mail network is already severely congested due to the very high demand for on-line shopping and due to the social distancing and other COVID-19 restrictions that have been imposed.  Delays have been occurring with international deliveries and with the closure of many borders and the imposition of further flight restrictions, these delays are likely to be exacerbated.”

The New Coronavirus Variant

Virus populations mutant and change all the time.  The mutation of the COVID-19 virus is an expected and anticipated event.  The virus wants to spread and replicate itself in as many hosts as possible and often mutations occur within the population of a virus to permit forms which are more virulent and easier to transmit to become the dominant strain.   Everything Dinosaur understands that the first signs of a potentially more transmittable virus were detected in laboratory tests back in September.

Research is at an early stage, there are huge uncertainties when modelling and predicting changes, but some of the mutations detected have been shown to increase the ability of the virus to infect cells in laboratory tests.

Hence the statement from UK government advisors on new infections stating that they have “moderate” confidence that it is more able to transmit than other variants.

It is because of this variant that parts of the UK were placed in Tier 4 with very strict measures in place to limit mixing.  Within the UK there are now harsher restrictions on mixing at Christmas in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.  Everything Dinosaur expects other countries to impose restrictions and travel bans which will affect the movement of parcels through the international delivery network.

Everything Dinosaur’s Response

Throughout this pandemic, our mail order business has remained open for business.  We have brought in appropriate measures to protect team members and done all we can to keep them safe and well.  We will continue to operate throughout the Christmas and New Year period.  Due to the new restrictions imposed we anticipate that overseas customers will experience delays in the delivery of their orders.

For further advice and information: Contact Everything Dinosaur by Email.

We apologise for this and would like to reassure all our customers that we remain absolutely committed to doing all we can to ensure a swift despatch of parcels.  However, due to the imposition of travel bans that will affect air freight and UK ports, delays in deliveries are inevitable.

We thank you for your support and patience.

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