The U.S. Postal Service is in trouble financially, and it may become one of the long-term causalities of the COVID-19 virus outbreak.

That can’t be allowed to happen.

The U.S. Postal Service is a unique creation of the Founding Fathers. It is both a part of the government — part of the executive branch — but also is an independent entity. The service is also sanctioned in Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution.

Now, the volume of mail surging through the postal service is down because of the COVID-19 outbreak and if it continues to fall, the impact on the agency will be severe and perhaps irreversible.

Many of us might see the postal service as a quaint throwback to different times long ago, but the truth is the agency is a mixing ground for a tremendous amount of volume every day and year. Its service is essential, too.

For example, most of the medicines sent out by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs are through the postal service. Lots of other folks also depend on the service for their medications.

It is no secret the postal service has faced financial challenges in the past. Things haven’t become much brighter financially for the service lately, and the COVID-19 virus outbreak made the situation a whole lot worse.

The good news is the $2 trillion emergency relief bill OK’d by Congress last month included a $10 billion loan for the service. While useful, that loan isn’t a long-term answer.

That’s because the agency needs to have its large debt — the agency reported an $8.8 billion loss last year — owed to the government to be forgiven.

Then it needs a large infusion of cash — by the federal government — to get to a stable platform where it can move forward.

There has been some discussion by the Trump administration to privatize the agency and, at first glance, that may seem like a good idea. Upon further reflection, though, the privatization idea isn’t the right way to approach this challenge. Privatization always sounds good to die-hard, fiscal conservatives but it usually isn’t feasible, and this is a good case in point.

No, lawmakers need to step up and review this issue with more than a passing glance. The postal service isn’t some fly-by-night business that is crying for bailout money. It is a critical piece of our democratic system dedicated by our founders.

We need to do all we can to get the agency back on track.