Food delivery services share measures to prevent COVID-19 transmission

MANILA, Philippines — Food delivery services companies released a statement to assure the public of the preventive measures the companies have taken to suppress the spread of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

"In light of recent events, Grab Philippines introduced contactless deliveries for GrabFood to minimize contact among consumers and delivery-partners. Many of our merchant-partners have also introduced additional precautionary measures to ensure the safety of their workers and the food prepared for their loyal customers," Grab Philippines said in a statement sent to Philstar.com today.

"As fellow Manilenos practice social distancing by staying home, we aim to continue to be of service while safeguarding the safety of everyone on the platform including our delivery and merchant-partners. We have rolled out the following preventive and support measures to protect the health and safety of our customers and our delivery-partners who go out of their way to serve others during this challenging period," EJ Dela Vega, GrabFood Philippines Head, said in the statement.

Their safety measures include contactless delivery for GrabFood, introduced this week "to minimize contact between consumers and delivery-partners."

Consumers can opt for contactless delivery by following three simple steps:
1. Inform delivery-partners to drop off the order outside the door or at specific locations such as the building reception if allowed by the building management.
2. Delivery-partners will place the order at the specified location, notify consumers of their arrival, and wait for them to pick up the order standing at least 6ft/2m away from the order.
3. We strongly encourage consumers to opt for cashless payment. If it is unavoidable to use cash, they can place the amount in an envelope and leave it where the food order is.

The company has also shared its support measures for delivery-partners.

"Our Grab Driver Centers around the metro will be equipped with sanitizer / disinfectant refill stations so that delivery-partners can easily access them, and can conveniently disinfect their delivery-bags throughout the day. Grab has also put together a GrabCare Package to provide financial and medical assistance to delivery-partners should they be placed on DOH-mandated quarantine, or be tested positive for the virus."

The company said it also activated its support channels such as Grab Safety Hotline, Grab Driver App Help Center and Daily Online Forum to address questions and assist immediately.

"Many of our merchant-partners have also introduced additional precautionary measures such as temperature checks for restaurant staff and delivery-partners, increased cleaning frequency of food preparation areas and delivery-bags, and more. GrabFood is encouraging more merchant-partners to adopt these precautionary measures and reach out to their respective account managers so when can immediately cascade their store-mandated guidelines to our delivery-partners. We are also checking with our merchant-partners if there will be changes in their operating hours."

According to the company, since the start of the outbreak, they have been working very closely with the Department of Health (DOH) "to ensure we have timely communications and support for our drivers, as well as robust contact tracing processes in place. Grab will continue to work very closely with the DOH and other relevant government agencies to minimise the spread of COVID-19."

Online delivery platform Foodpanda also ensures health and safety measures are in place for their restaurant partners and riders.

In a statement sent to Philstar.com, Foodpanda said it has rolled out a communications and information sharing strategy with its partners to effectively stay informed during this sensitive period.

To foster an environment of security, safety and transparency, the company implemented measures and recommendations to prioritize their partners' wellbeing. These include:

• Wear a mask if possible during shifts of riders.
• Regularly washing hands with water and soap.
• Using hand sanitizer before and after each delivery shift.
• Staple the paper bags and securely close the lids of food containers.
• Sterilize their delivery bags or thermal bags.
• If showing signs of illness, seek assistance from the doctor immediately.