The United States Postal Service is facing an “unprecedented” volume of e-mail entering the holiday weekend amid reports of delayed parcels.
On its website, the postal service stated that “it is facing unprecedented volume increases and limited employee availability due to the impact of COVID-19”.
The high volume and effects of the coronavirus pandemic have led to reports of delays for a number of people expecting Christmas packages.
Several people told The Associated Press that they did not receive gifts before the holiday, as delivery times were exceeded.
A man from Grand Rapids, Michigan, said he ordered the collector’s model of a NASCAR race car for his father for Christmas on November 30. Although the postal service was informed that the gift had been delivered with priority for two days on December 8, it had not yet reached its father until Thursday evening.
“I understand the situation, but it’s still frustrating,” Austin Race, 21, told AP.
A woman in Ann Arbor, Michigan, experienced a similar situation, telling the media that the Christmas ornaments she ordered on Nov. 17 were blocked in Detroit, despite a Dec. 11 message from the postal service that he stated that he had already reached his destination Columbus, Ohio.
“I was frustrated last week thinking, ‘Come on, get here,’ but now I’m just laughing,” she said.
She added that the beneficiaries of the ornaments will be able to hang them on the tree next year and have a story about how the pandemic sent them on a journey and delayed their arrival.