The Postal Service helps keep millions of Americans alive and well
With a dysfunctional postal service, much of the population would lose access to much needed medications. (Pexels/)After recent attempts by the federal government to defund the United States Postal Service and make cuts to things like mail sorting and delivery frequency, the country’s medical associations and health researchers have spoken out to raise awareness of the public health importance of our national postal system. The USPS does a lot more than just deliver letters, says Michael Pignone, a doctor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Texas’s Dell Medical School. It allows for the delivery of prescription medication and helps doctors do testing and notify patients—it’s part of the healthcare system, Pignone says, and not only is the mail system crucial at present, but its healthcare roles have the potential to be expanded as America’s population ages and the pandemic rages on. “You can think of the post office...