A DELIVERY driver for Hermes has spoken out about the stress of working during the coronavirus pandemic.

The courier, who does not want to be named, said that they have to continue working as they are now classified as key workers, despite the fact they continue to deliver non-essential items. 

A lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and uncertainty regarding self-isolation are among the concerns of the delivery driver, who is from Bolton.

The courier said: “Hermes told us that we were now key workers, claiming that we were delivering essential items such as soap and sanitisers, but we shouldn’t be carrying liquids anyway. I believe 80 per cent of my job is delivering and collecting non-essential items. 

“There’s no PPE being given out at the depot, most of us are buying our own latex gloves. There’s hand sanitiser at the depot but nothing for individual use.

“If you need to access the Hermes Covid-19 fund you have to provide proof that you have the virus, which obviously is very difficult to do.

“I’m worried about picking up the virus at work and bringing it home to my family as social distancing is never 100 per cent effective. 

“I feel extremely stressed at this time and worried about the long term impact that this job may have. I think that all non essential deliveries such as shoes and clothing should be paused to allow us to focus on delivering essential products. 

“If Hermes were to cease non-essential items my workload would decrease and hit me financially, but so would Hermes closing for a few weeks. 

“I would prefer that over risking my own health. I don’t feel the customers are to blame in this scenario, Hermes needs to only be accepting essential items into the network for delivery as keyworker status.”

A spokesman for Hermes said: “The government has clearly stated that home delivery is vitally important to the coronavirus response and has deemed our people key workers. We are extremely proud of our teams who are helping to ensure that deliveries are made every day, including to the most vulnerable in society.

“Home delivery enables those self-isolating to get the items they need and supports the government’s drive to get people to stay at home. Whilst this may include some leisure items, we have seen a huge increase in orders for hygiene and wellbeing items such as hand sanitiser, soap and medicines, as well as equipment to facilitate home working and schooling children at home. 

“We are also supporting a number of supermarkets to collect their trailers full of essentials from national distribution hubs and deliver them across the country to local supermarkets.

“All our couriers and drivers are provided with hand sanitiser and gloves. We are following the recent advice from WHO and are not providing masks. 

“We have also introduced a number of changes to provide ‘contact-free delivery’.

“The coronavirus impact fund has been set up by Hermes with £1m available to support its self-employed couriers that need to self-isolate. No proof is needed for this. This is in addition to the recently announced government support package for the self-employed.”