Postmates announces 'non-contact' deliveries in light of coronavirus

Delivery service Postmates sent an email to users on Friday touting its new "non-contact deliveries," which basically just means you can ask its delivery people to leave whatever you've ordered at your front door so you don't have to interact with them directly. No points for guessing which event-canceling virus has prompted the move (hint: it's the coronavirus). But we're a little confused about how the move is expected to help.

"Whether you’re feeling under the weather or are working from home in your PJs, new dropoff options are available now," the email reads, adding that to choose the non-contact option, you'll need the latest version of the app.

We can understand the vanity concerns. Perhaps your sleepwear isn't fetching. And considering the growing fears about the coronavirus, there's a good chance you're working from home these days, which drastically reduces the odds you're wearing pants befitting an adult by lunchtime. We get it.

Can't touch this — But if you think leaving your lunch on the doorstep for a few minutes is going to reduce your odds of contamination, well, we're not convinced that's how the coronavirus (or any virus) works. If your local Postmates delivery person has it, they may not know for weeks, the might have coughed onto their hands between collecting your delivery and getting it to your welcome mat, or they could've already infected your neighbors.

So, yeah, um, good luck out there. Spare a thought for the poor Postmates folk, though, who aside from a likely increase in orders in light of the growing appeal of staying in can now be deprived of the warmth of a welcoming smile. As if the gig economy wasn't cold and cruel enough.