Coronavirus: Is it safe to be receiving delivery packages and should you even be shopping for non-essential items online?

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. This will ensure the item is delivered securely rather than being left outside.” For further information on the Royal Mail’s updates with regards to the coronavirus pandemic, Amazon has also committed to stringent cleaning measures, increasing “the frequency and intensity of cleaning at all sites” and “requiring employees and delivery service partners to clean and disinfect their work stations”. “Safety of staff remains the highest priority and the operations at warehouses and online delivery hubs strictly adhere to Government guidelines on hygiene and social distancing,” he stated. “Next has therefore taken the difficult decision to temporarily close its online, warehousing and distribution operations from this evening, Thursday 26 March 2020.” Earlier this month, Next chief executive Simon Wolfson warned that the coronavirus outbreak was going to have a hugely detrimental impact on the British high street, stating: “Our industry is facing a crisis that is unprecedented in living memory, but we believe that our balance sheet and margins mean that we can weather the storm.” Some have called on other retailers, such as Asos, to follow in the footsteps of Next by ceasing online operations. “Retailer Next has agreed to close their local warehouse to keep workers safe — paying all workers in full — using the government’s 80 per cent wage guarantee,” GMB states.