While the Covid-19 pandemic paralyzes France, social benefits were paid 48 hours earlier than planned to allow recipients to withdraw their money from ATMs. Consequence: queues conducive to the transmission of the virus are formed in front of post offices. Example in Seine-Saint-Denis.

REPORT

In the midst of the coronavirus crisis, benefits have just been paid. Some beneficiaries then hastened to go and withdraw their social benefits from La Poste counters. This is the case in Seine-Saint-Denis where some of them do not have a bank card. But postal workers and elected officials of the department fear that these long queues create a health risk.

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From the opening of post offices on Monday morning, the queues extended for tens of meters and sometimes even in the adjacent streets. On the eve of the payment of social minima, Stéphane Troussel, president of the department of Seine-Saint-Denis had alerted the management of La Poste.

Floor markings and protective glass

"La Poste is a major public service in a department like ours. I hope there will be markings on the ground, barriers and human presence. I believe that with the goodwill of each other, everything will be fine, "he said.

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On the ground, markings are well installed to enforce the distance of a minimum of one meter. At the counter, windows allow contact between agents and customers to be avoided. Of the 93 La Poste offices in Seine-Saint-Denis, 39 are open.

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But that is not enough for Eddy Talbot, secretary general of Sud-PTT. According to him, this device "concentrates more people, more users on a limited number of offices without the means being put and that the security conditions are guaranteed". He also specifies that this phenomenon concerns "economically fragile populations".

To avoid possible overflows, security guards monitor the offices. La Poste even called the police to ensure security throughout the department.