Coronavirus (COVID-19) - keep distance, wear face covering, wash hands

Coronavirus (COVID-19): staying safe while using click and collect services

A controlled ‘click and collect’ service for retail can operate during the two-week circuit breaker beginning on Friday 27 November up to and including 10 December 2020. It’s important that both businesses and the public stay safe when using these services.

Guidance for businesses

To make sure click and collect facilities can operate on an appointment-only basis it is recommended that businesses should apply the following principles:

  • retailers and customers are encouraged to use online ordering and delivery as the first choice as it will limit social interactions and contacts
  • retailers who do not have an online facility should consider potential of phoned-in or text ordering
  • collections are required to be by appointment only and should be scheduled to make sure no customer-customer contact and no queuing
  • allocate time slots which will allow them to manage a reasonable number of people per hour
  • If collection is from a store in a shopping centre the collection point should be close to entrance with a one way system
  • design their click and collect system to avoid/ reduce shared contact surfaces
  • continue to frequently clean any shared surfaces that are unavoidable and increase the use of hands-free technology to deliver their services

Guidance for customers

When using click and collect services, customers should:

  • collect their items from the entrance door as they are not permitted in the store
  • collections should be by a designated customer to collect only - therefore no household groups
  • attend within the timeslot they have been given by the retailer
  • use pre-payment methods and contactless proof of purchase on collection where possible
  • wear a face covering
  • travel to and from store should if possible be by car, foot, or bicycle -Iif by car, members of one household should travel together (and only one person to collect, see above)
  • use hand sanitisers provided by the store

Practical guidance for staying safe

There are some practical steps businesses can take to keep it as safe as possible.  

Guidance has been developed to help businesses understand how to work safely during the coronavirus pandemic.

The use of measures such appointments helps to reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading and helps to support the Test, Trace and Protect programme. 

See Coronavirus: Working safely in different business settings.

Everyone can contribute to managing the spread of COVID-19 by following the public health guidance and regulations by doing the following everyday:

  • washing your hands
  • keeping your distance (two metres)
  • wear a face coverings
  • download the StopCOVID NI app
  • if you have symptoms stay at home and self-isolate
  • limit your social contacts

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