Coronavirus: let's tip the delivery guys more generously, shall we?

Our readers have their say on tipping delivery personnel, the future of cinemas and teachers' salaries

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, March 27, 2020. A Zomato delivery man on his motorcycle on a nearly empty streets at downtown Abu Dhabi on the first day of the UAE cleaning campaign. Emiratis and resShow more

Let's all please tip delivery staff generously

With reference to Anna Zacharias's story Coronavirus: Dubai's delivery drivers tell of life on the road as they count cost of Covid-19 (April 1): they deserve to get hazard pay. It will help if every person who orders takeaway gives the delivery men a generous tip.

Guerlaine Clemor, Dubai

I want to thank all the delivery personnel for their service and say, please take care of yourselves too.

Veronica Camacho, Abu Dhabi

Tip them well.

Malinda Smalberger, Dubai

Would be nice to increase their salaries too.

Oleg Volkivskyy, Dubai

God bless all, especially those out on the streets. They know that virus is everywhere but they are still on their way to work to earn money. Wishing them good health and safety.

Ravi Roheywal, Abu Dhabi 

It's just an intermission: cinemas will be back

With regard to Chris Newbould's article A world without cinema: are the current theatre closures a sign of things to come? (March 31): No, cinemas (or the pictures, as we call them) have survived through adversity before, even maintaining the spirit of the British people during the Second World War.

Iain Samson, Dubai

Well, life is more than just the cinema. We have a lot to learn in the real world and books are good during these dark times.

Sergio Marquina, Leuven, Belgium

Teachers salaries should not have to take a hit

With regard to Anam Rizvi and Sarwat Nasir's report Coronavirus: schools cut fees but urge parents to help protect teacher salaries (March 31): I don't support a reduction in school fees. Even though students are not going to school, they are still learning at home and teachers are spending a lot of time on e-learning and they deserve the pay.

Aysha Sayed, Dubai

School authorities should think less about profits now. Teachers are working hard. They deserve the full salary, like we all do at the end of the month. But all private schools run on 30-40 per cent profit margins and this should be waived. The stakeholders and owners can survive with less profit easily, without paying from pocket. It is a more humanitarian way than cutting salaries.

Prakash Kumar Singh, Dubai

We are ready to pay the fees but school should compromise. Anyway they don’t need to pay for maintenance. Schools can manage without cutting teachers' salaries.

Ahana Badarudeen, Dubai

No parent would ask for a 100 per cent discount. We ask for 35 to 40 per cent off to help us tide over our problems too. Schools should adjust.

Sammira Mohiadeen, Dubai

As a teacher, working from home, e-learning takes up 12-13 hours a day. And being on call 24/7 is a lot harder than people think. Teachers are doing more than the usual, not to mention that we lost our spring break holiday. We sit at a laptop all day. Not being with our families a lot of us expat teachers here are alone. Being in isolation is difficult for our well-being. A lot of work went into and still goes into e-teaching. Please think.

Kerry O'driscoll, Abu Dhabi