WATCH: Home delivery: Businesses must adhere to strict safety measures

Takeaways remain off the menu, however, due to the risk of preparing food in packed kitchens.

Goods must be ordered over the telephone and deliveries must operate on a planned itinerary and drivers cannot act as travelling salesmen.

Goods cannot be packed for delivery by more than two people and social distancing is expected to be observed throughout the entire process.

Both the people preparing the delivery and the delivery driver must wear gloves and wash them in between deliveries.

As has become standard with essential deliveries, all packages must be left on a doorstep to avoid the delivery driver coming into contact with residents.

Health & Social Care president Deputy Heidi Soulsby communicated the details after thanking people for abiding by social distancing measures.

‘We really do understand how difficult this has been for many of you and it is not something we have had a pleasure in doing, but it does look so far like it has been making a difference.

‘You’re all making a difference.

‘Although we’re not lifting the lockdown, we do believe that we can make a change in one area and that is in respect of home deliveries.

‘Up until now, only essential items could be delivered to homes, from tomorrow it will be possible for non-essential items to be delivered as long as certain criteria are met.’

She said that businesses could use couriers, who are designated as key workers, or use their own delivery set-ups to complete deliveries.

Tina Bolding, owner of The Original Alternative, which sells food supplements and natural remedies made from cannabis extracts, welcomed the news.

Mrs Bolding said that previously shoppers had to order from online stores, many of which were not based in the island.

‘It was depriving our own retail sector of crucial customers and taking business off-island.

‘As long as everybody is sensible, we can be safe and operate deliveries locally.

‘From a health perspective and an economic perspective it’s important that we buy locally and that we really lockdown as an island and try and look after each other and all help as much as possible.’

She had previously been able to send products to customers via the post but this was problematic.

‘By being restricted to mail it meant we can’t get things to people as quickly as we might like to and we had a lot of people asking for stuff that because of the restrictions we hadn’t been able to fulfil.’

Mrs Bolding believed the Civil Contingencies Authority had done an excellent job in keeping our island safe so far and encouraged local businesses to deliver if they could to boost everyone’s spirits.

‘Our government has done a fantastic job trying to contain the virus and we will come out of it better off than most jurisdictions. Having hobbies in the home and things to keep you mentally healthy and occupied is crucial in times like these I think.

‘For anyone who can deliver and help people I think it’s a really positive move.’