Posti is prepared for different kinds of exceptional circumstances and has raised its current level of preparedness because of the coronavirus.
Posti acts according to the instructions provided by Finnish government officials (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare THL and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health) and protects the health of its personnel and customers according to these instructions.
Updated information, March 31
Parcels are being delivered normally, although slight delays may occur for a small number of parcels. For information regarding the exceptions pertaining to parcels, please see our website.
The rest of the information in this document that was updated on March 30 is valid.
Check the website for Frequently asked questions about the coronavirus.
Updated information, March 30
So far, the restrictions on movement in the Uusimaa region have had no effect on Posti’s services. As a result of the traffic checkpoints, time has been added to the schedules where possible. In terms of the isolation of Uusimaa, freight traffic has priority.
Freight services are currently operating normally. For the security of supply, socially critical and important items are always delivered first.
When it comes to Home Parcels, i.e. online purchases, there are slight delays in the delivery windows in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. There is a much higher demand for Home Parcels than normally. In addition, e-commerce campaigns are causing temporary peaks.
Domestic newspaper, magazine and letter services are currently working normally.
Despite border closures, goods are still moving into and out of Finland, but they are partly transported via exceptional routes and may subsequently be subject to delays. When it comes to letter and parcel items, there are a few exceptions regarding some countries. You can find up to date, country-specific information regarding the delivery of letter and parcel items on our website.
Posti has been forced to close some of its service points and mailboxes because the premises that they are located on are closed due to the coronavirus. You can find a list of currently unavailable service points on our website.
Check the website for Frequently asked questions about the coronavirus.
Updated information, March 27
According to the current estimate, if the government’s decision to restrict movement in the Uusimaa region enters into force, it will have no effect on Posti’s operations or services. However, some minor delays may occur as a result of the checks carried out by the police. Nevertheless, according to the government’s daily situation report, freight traffic would have priority despite the isolation of the Uusimaa region.
According to the Ministry of Transport and Communications, movement is permitted for government officials, the purposes of work, livelihood or a position of trust or to meet a statutory obligation, which means that the restrictions should not affect the commuter traffic of Posti’s personnel. Posti plays a major role in maintaining the security of supply.
Posti’s employees want to thank all of the customers for maintaining safe distances and would ask them to also maintain a safe distance (approximately 2 meters) in future customer encounters. The mail carrier will place the mail in the mailbox or insert it through a mail slot; the items will not be delivered hand-to-hand. With regard to home-delivered parcels and other items, we will also maintain a safe distance, and the driver will sign for the item once it has been delivered to the customer. This is to ensure that we do everything that we can to minimize the risk of infection.
Domestic services, i.e. freight as well as parcel, newspaper, magazine and letter services, are currently working normally Despite border closures, goods are still moving into and out of Finland, but they are partly transported via exceptional routes and may subsequently be subject to delays. For further information, please see the updated information as of March 26.
Updated information, March 26
According to the current estimate, if the government’s decision to restrict movement in the Uusimaa region enters into force, it will have no effect on Posti’s operations or services. According to the announcement by the Ministry of Transport and Communications (March 25), there will be no limitations on freight transport during the new restrictions. Neither will the restrictions apply to traffic inside the Uusimaa region. Movement is permitted for government officials, the purposes of work, livelihood or a position of trust or to meet a statutory obligation. Posti plays a major role in maintaining the security of supply.
Domestic services, i.e. freight as well as parcel and letter services, are working normally. International traffic is also running nearly normally. Shipments are delivered normally to and from Finland. When it comes to letter and parcel items, there are a few exceptions regarding some countries. You can find up to date, country-specific information regarding the delivery of letter and parcel items on our website.
Posti has been forced to close some of its service points and mailboxes because the premises that they are located on are closed due to the coronavirus. You can find a list of currently unavailable service points on our website.
Check the website for Frequently asked questions about the coronavirus.
Updated information, March 25
No changes to what has been reported earlier.
Updated information, March 24
No changes to what has been reported earlier.
Updated information, March 23
The storage period of the items, i.e. letters or parcels, picked up from all of Posti’s service points (outlets, lockers) has been extended to 21 days in order to provide customers with more time to pick up their items. This change will remain in effect until the end of validity of the Emergency Powers Act, and it will apply to those items delivered to pickup points after March 23, but not to those items that have already been delivered to Posti and are currently available for pickup. Recipients will receive a notice of arrival with a reference to the length of the storage period.
The coronavirus has not affected Posti’s services in Finland. All of the items and freight will be handled and delivered to the intended recipients. All of Posti’s other services are also available. The information in this document, which has been updated on March 19, will also apply in other respects.
Check the website for Frequently asked questions about the coronavirus.
Updated information, March 20
No changes to what has been reported earlier.
Updated information, March 19
The coronavirus has not affected Posti’s services in Finland. All items and freight will be handled and delivered to the intended recipients. All of Posti’s other services are also available.
Meal deliveries and home help work as normal. Potential exceptions are separately agreed with the customer.
Border closures do not prevent the road transport of items or freight, but there may be delays. However, all items and freight will be delivered, by means of exceptional arrangements, if necessary.
The country-specific restrictions on letter and parcel deliveries have been updated. You can also find up-to-date information on our website.
In the Baltic countries, some parcel services are subject to exceptional arrangements because some of the pickup points in Latvia and Lithuania are closed as a result of the coronavirus. Deliveries are still made on time.
The service points and mailboxes are open and available, with the exception of some individual locations. Some of Posti’s parcel lockers, service points and mailboxes are currently closed and will remain closed until further notice because the properties they are located in have been closed due to the coronavirus. You can find a list of currently unavailable service points on our website.
There is a new section on our website: Frequently asked questions about the coronavirus.
Updated information, March 18
Posti’s services are continuing to run normally. All items and freight will be handled and delivered to the intended recipients. All of Posti’s other services are also available, for example, meal deliveries and home help work as normal. The service points are open, with the exception of individual locations.
Some of Posti’s parcel lockers and service points in Finland are currently closed and will remain closed until further notice because the properties they are located in have been closed due to the coronavirus. Parcels ordered to these parcel lockers or service points have been transferred to another pickup point close to the customers. The customers have been informed via SMS messages.
You can find a list of currently unavailable service points on our website.
The country-specific restrictions on letter and parcel deliveries have been updated. You can also find up-to-date information on our website.
Updated information, March 17
No changes to what has been reported earlier.
Updated information, March 16
The coronavirus epidemic has thus far not affected Posti’s services. All of Posti’s services in Finland are operating normally.
Items from abroad are also being processed and delivered normally upon their arrival in Finland. The carriage of items sent from Finland to other countries may be restricted by the cancellation of flight routes. Road transport will continue to function normally unless restrictions on the entry of road cargo into Finland are implemented at the national level.
Country-specific information and potential restrictions are shown on our website.
Posti has introduced additional precautionary measures in transport-related services to minimize chains of infection. These measures have no impact on the services provided to customers.
Posti Kotipalvelut Oy will observe the guidelines and recommendations issued by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in its home services and adhere to the other policies and guidelines issued by Posti. Home services will continue to operate normally and precautions have been taken regarding the spread of the virus.
Posti will monitor the policies issued by the Finnish government and their potential impacts on our services.
Updated information on March 13
Careful preparations for the spread and prevention of the virus bring changes to some of Posti’s operating models. The personnel have been provided with guidelines based on instructions and recommended actions by authorities. Work will be performed based on these guidelines so that our personnel do not spread the virus or be themselves infected. According to The Finnish institute for health and welfare (THL) coronavirus is not transmitted through items in the mail.
Preparatory measures mentioned below are temporary and valid until further notice. We are constantly monitoring the situation and update our practices according to the situation.
Items delivered to the recipient, signed and monitored items
• Contrary to the normal way of working, the item is not handed to the recipient. Instead, Posti’s driver will ring the doorbell and leave the item in front of the door. The driver should wait a few steps away until the recipient has received the item.
• Posti no longer requests the recipient to sign for the item. Instead, the driver will enter the delivery in Posti’s system.
• If an item delivered to the recipient’s home includes a cash-on-delivery fee, the item is directed to a Posti service point for pickup.
• Traditional letter mail and newspapers will be delivered the same way that they usually are delivered.
Home appliance and furniture deliveries and installation services
• The home deliveries and installations are conducted normally.
• However, when scheduling a delivery time, Posti should check with the customer in advance regarding a safe delivery option.
• Posti does not ask the recipient to sign for the item. Instead, the driver will enter the delivery in Posti’s system.
Service points
• When a customer picks up an item, Posti’s service point and pickup point employees will not handle the customer’s personal belongings, such as an ID card or mobile phone.
• The employees working at the service points of partners should follow the service provider’s instructions (as long as they are more detailed than Posti’s instructions).
Updated information on March 10
Posti has specified the instructions related to meetings, gatherings and visits in order to minimize the spread of infectious diseases and, nevertheless, continue operations to serve our customers.
- Visits to Posti’s production plants, terminals and delivery offices will be limited. All visits that can be postponed to a later date will be cancelled for the time being. Visitors and groups of visitors will be contacted about the situation.
- Currently, digital meetings are recommended at Posti.
- Teleworking is recommended if it is possible in terms of the work and situation at the workplace.
- In customer service work that includes quarantine situations defined by the authorities and health care, employees must follow the instructions of the authorities, exercise special care and go through the situation with the customers, if necessary.
The coronavirus is causing delays in the delivery of international parcels and other postal items.
- Items ordered from China will travel in part via exceptional routes and may therefore be delayed. This is because Chinese government officials have set up certain restrictions and airline companies have decided to suspend flights to mainland China and other regions affected by the epidemic. Other deliveries are transported normally.
- The decision of airline companies to suspend flights to infection areas have also had an impact on other incoming air mail deliveries as well as parcels.
- You can find the more detailed country-specific information on our website.
- Currently, the transport of postal items within Finland is not affected by the coronavirus.
Facts about Posti’s preparedness for the coronavirus
1. Posti monitors the situation daily – exceptional circumstance working group in action 24/7/365
Posti has a multidisciplinary follow-up group that monitors the coronavirus situation daily. The members take part in the work of the follow-up group in addition to their normal duties. The group receives and acquires up-to-date information from the government officials and those responsible for health care services. The follow-up group reports on the situation internally and externally.
Posti’s multidisciplinary group for exceptional circumstances is on call 24/7/365 as the situation requires. The group is led by an exceptional circumstances leader. The task of the exceptional circumstances working group is to ensure Posti’s operations and customer service with the means available and report on the situation internally and externally. The work of the exceptional circumstances working group begins with a national group that can be supported by local groups.
Posti has statutory obligations related to national exceptional circumstances. The objective of the exceptional circumstances working group or groups is to ensure:
- The prioritization of obligations related to general safety: deliveries of blood and laboratory samples and official announcements and other services specified by government officials.
- That the orders and assignments from government officials can be executed.
- That Posti can produce postal services for its customers in accordance with the universal service obligation under the exceptional circumstances.
- That Posti’s operations can be prioritized, if necessary, in such a way that its services can be maintained for as long as possible as expected by government officials and other customers.
In case of a force majeure, Posti contacts the government officials and its other customers. There are a number of situations where this may be the case. For example, if the number of people who have fallen ill because of the virus on the national or regional level becomes so great that the resources planned for the exceptional circumstances are not available, or the movement of people is restricted by guidelines from government officials.
2. Information for customers at Posti’s websites posti.com and posti.fi
Posti informs its customers of the situation on its websites posti.fi and posti.com. Posti reports on the situation once or several times a day, depending on the need.
Posti’s designated customer contact persons will establish a common procedure for exchanging information with their customers.
If the coronavirus disrupts mail delivery, bulletins on the situation will be published on the posti.fi website under “Häiriötiedotteet” (disruption notices, in Finnish).
3. According to the current information, the coronavirus is not spread via postal items
According to THL, the handling of items or food items imported or sent from regions affected by the epidemic do not according to current information present a risk of contagion in Finland. If the situation changes and the government officials issue new information, Posti has the capacity to react to the situation rapidly.
4. Personnel have been instructed on hand and coughing hygiene and travel
Posti has issued instructions to its entire personnel on good hand and coughing hygiene and stresses its importance.
Posti’s personnel have also been issued with instructions in accordance with the travel guidelines provided by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. As an employer, Posti recommends restricting travel to certain regions and re-evaluating the necessity of work-related travel abroad.
The personnel have also been issued with instructions on how to act if infection is suspected. In such a situation, the occupational health care guidelines are applied.
