As healthcare professionals are on the frontlines fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, truck drivers have been working relentlessly to deliver medicine and protective equipment across the country. Protective equipment is worn to protect healthcare workers and their patients from exposure to COVID-19. Truck drivers, and delivery drivers, have brought essential supplies to cities across the country that have been hit hardest by the virus.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidelines for New York transportation and delivery workers on March 26 stating the personnel delivering supplies should stay in their vehicle as much as possible when loading and unloading. Additionally, transportation and delivery personnel should comply with federal, state, and local orders relative to COVID-19. This means that truck drivers need to comply with social distancing guidelines that recommend being 6 feet away from others to prevent the spread of the virus.
The recommendations for being 6 feet away come from the CDC’s guidelines for coronavirus disease 2019 as social distancing is an important part of “flattening the curve.” COVID-19 is spread when droplets from an infected person contact the mouths and noses of someone nearby. To flatten the curve, truck drivers can also move to electronic receipts as part of their transactions. This will reduce the risk of truck drivers contracting the virus from someone they are interacting with.
Often, transportation and delivery drivers may need to stay overnight in a city. If this occurs, they should stay in hotel rooms or the sleeper cab of their truck when possible.
The CDC went on to say that drivers who follow these guidelines will not need to self-quarantine when they leave NYC. However, they should self-quarantine if recommended by state and local authorities.
As workers who are at higher risk of exposure, it is important to follow these guidelines. By following the CDC recommendations, truck drivers can reduce their risk of contracting the virus.
O’Connor, Acciani & Levy thank all of the transportation and delivery personnel who are working hard to deliver supplies around the country! They are keeping this country running, during this truly unprecedented time.