Covid-19 lateral flow tests (LFT) are now available to order online for home delivery.

However, the [postal trade] Communication Workers Union has criticised the government’s decision to award the interim four-week contract to local private courier Manx Independent Carriers, describing it as like ’handing the operation over to Del Boy and Rodney’.

The Post Office also said that it was ’disappointed’ to see the arrangement had been made with another carrier, after having provided a quote to the government for LFT deliveries outside of the formal tender process.

The CWU talked of it being ’an absolute disgrace that the Isle of Man Government have rewarded gig economy providers with state contracts that should be proudly awarded to the state-owned Post Office’.

The statement by general secretary Terry Pullinger continued: ’It is a massive slap in the face to postal workers, who have worked magnificently to keep the Isle of Man connected throughout the pandemic.

’The pandemic has highlighted the social value of national institutions like the health service and the Post Office, yet the Isle of Man government seem to favour bogus self-employment and cheap labour models over our wonderful public services.’

The Post Office also said it had highlighted to Tynwald its ’concerns regarding the island’s gig economy many times in recent years, and the detrimental impact it will have on businesses like the trusted postal service’.

It added that it ’recognises the concerned views by the CWU regarding this matter and our employees it represents’.

The government noted that the Post Office had been invited to quote for the distribution work, but had been unsuccessful and the contract had instead been awarded to ’an alternative provider who is well respected and established in the logistics sector’.

MIC declined to comment.

MIC will deliver to homes six days a week Monday to Saturday, with kits packed to allow letterbox delivery.

The courier will also provide a dedicated customer service phone line and an email address for enquiries about orders. The government has so far imported more than 260,000 tests, and it said that while ’demand is likely to fluctuate for some time, it has begun to stabilise’.

Weekly deliveries have ensured that a 10-day supply of LFTs has been kept it stock for the island, and the government describes this service of as making the provision of LFTs a matter of ’business as usual’ for it.

It also hopes that it will prevent stockpiling, and is advising that people order no more than one pack of seven tests within a seven day period.

Next-day delivery is anticipated for orders placed before 4pm in most cases.

LFTs can be ordered for free at: covid19.gov.im/general-information/testing-results/