The coronavirus pandemic is taking a toll on practically every aspect of our lives, so many believed it was only a matter of time before it hit our mailboxes.

The COVID-19 outbreak is causing delays in mail delivery and impacting several communities across southeast Michigan.

The United States Postal Service says some customers in zip codes beginning with 480-485 and zip codes beginning with 492 are receiving mail every other day as compared to the normal daily delivery.

Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties are expected to be impacted.

"It's a minor a convenience but you know this COVID-19 virus is affecting everyone," said Detroit resident Deon Hamilton.

USPS says they're striving to "match the workload caused by the impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic."


FOX 2 spoke with postal workers wishing to remain anonymous.

"We don't know, it's a fear of the unknown," said one postal worker. "If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, stay home.

"I don't want to take anything home that I didn't come to work with."

There are postal workers in metro Detroit that have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 and others are in quarantine.

Detroit mail carrier Anthony Smith - a husband, father and Army veteran, recently died from the virus. His colleagues raised concerns about safety conditions days before his death.

"We don't have gloves, we don't have masks," said another mail carrier. "I have not seen any hand sanitizer."

USPS says it's making sure that millions of gloves, masks, and sanitizing and cleaning products are available to postal workers,

and they're reinforcing best practices to ensure the safety of workers and customers alike.

"Obviously the postal workers are critical to our infrastructure we need them healthy - just like we need the doctors and nurses that are on the front lines," said Hamilton.

A spokesperson for the USPS says they appreciate the patience of customers and the efforts of employees as conditions change on a day-to-day basis.

There is no word on when mail service will be fully restored.