Letters to the Editor: Reduced banking hours a potential superspreader

Letters to the Editor: Reduced banking hours a potential superspreader
Commonwealth Bank.

Dear Editor,

Commonwealth Bank has changed their banking hours to half-day, claiming it is “due to COVID-19 precautions”. This decision is ridiculous. What is the real agenda here?

Did they seek advice from the health professionals? Did the Banking Association approve this?

At the onset of COVID-19, banks eliminated Saturday banking and extended Friday banking hours, which greatly assisted customers who work long hours. This reduction to half-day is not only impractical, it is a potential superspreader as clusters of persons are piled up outside on long lines to conduct business during the restricted hours. This is irresponsible and poor planning on Commonwealth Bank’s part as not all services are available online — for example, Xmas Club withdrawal, bank drafts, US currency, etc, must be conducted in branch.

As COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future, does this mean half-day banking will as well?

Every other essential service has resumed normal working hours, abiding by the recommended health and safety protocols. There should be no difference for banks.

I would love to hear an explanation from Commonwealth Bank, the Banking Association and the Minister of Health on this.


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1 comments

Covid is brilliant. It only jumps on you standing in line at airports but not on the plane touching shoulder and thigh to your neighbor. It only jumps on you if you go to the bank after 1pm and not in the morning at 11am. It only jumps on you after 10pm curfew but not at 9:50pm. It only jumps on you shopping for clothes but not shopping for grits. It only jumps on you sitting in an AC room listening to others speak, but not when you get to the podoim and take off your mask to voice your opinion. It only jumps on kids in aschool building but not on kids in temporary classrooms in restaurants, movie theatres, or granny’s crowded living room. It can jump on you in the clinic waiting room, but not when the nurse makes you remove your mask to stick a thermometer in your mouth. It can jump on you at Carival on the park but not at Carnival at the hotel. It can jump on you if you a basic citizen if you dont stand 3-6ft apart but not if you important taking pictures shoulder to shoulder for photo-ops. An absolutely Einstein level brilliant virus

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