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Truck drivers ordered to test for Coronavirus 48 hrs before start of journey
Truck drivers are now the biggest risk of infection from Coronavirus in Uganda
Following meetings between health authorities in the six East African member states, protocols have been developed targeting truck drivers aimed at reducing the spread of the Coronavirus.
This comes in the wake of findings that show that truck drivers are the biggest single group of Coronavirus infections in the region.
The protocols agreed upon include;
1. For any truck driver to start a journey, he or she will be required to have had a Coronavirus test 48 hours in advance.
2. Along the Transport corridor, there will be checkpoints where the drivers’ COVID-19 test certificate will be checked.
A number of testing facilities where samples will be collected have been identified. These include; at Mombasa, in Nairobi at Kisumu, at Migori, at Eldoret and in Nakuru among others.
3. Those crossing the border, drivers are supposed to present their certificate. As long as the certificate is within 14 days, it will be considered valid. A valid certificate will be supplemented with additional confirmatory tests to confirm they are COVID-negative. The drivers will be allowed to proceed with their journey but will be subject to being stopped wehn results come out positive.
4. Drivers will be required to sign self-quarantine forms – which require truck drivers to only stop at designated points where health officers monitor the drivers’ travel. Public health officers will sign on the self-quarantine form and confirm that the COVID-19 certificate is still valid or else they are referred to the nearest testing facility.
Authorities in the three countries have identified hotel facilities where truck drivers will be allowed to stay over-night and not at any other place, except at the designated stop overs.
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