Thobile Malinga1,2, Charles Shey Wiysonge1,2,3, Duduzile Ndwandwe1, Joseph Chukwudi Okeibunor4, Ambrose Otau Talisuna4. 1. Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa. 2. Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. 3. School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. 4. World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: long-distance truck drivers have been identified as a high-risk group for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection. Thus, the aim of this scoping review is to map out the existing evidence on the impact of long-distance truck drivers on the spread of COVID-19 and measures that countries can implement to mitigate this route of spread in the African region. METHODS: we searched the PubMed database and the website of the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020 for eligible studies. RESULTS: the search strategy identified 669 citations, of which six met the inclusion criteria. The most frequently reported interventions were maintaining hand hygiene, social distance, testing truck drivers, regulation of trade and transport e.g. only trucks with the food, medical supplies, fuels, agricultural supplies will be allowed to operate in interstate operations and regulating and controlling trucks carrying essential goods and services e.g. truck drivers are required to declare their final destination and are urged to stop only at designated points. Two studies from the African region reported about border closures and entry and exit screening, two studies from the US reported about the threat for public safety and risks and mitigation plans and 2 guidelines reported about harmonisation and facilitation of cross border in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak. CONCLUSION: this review highlights the countries response to mitigate the impact of the pandemic by implementing measures to facilitate safe cross-border trade and adopting regional harmonization of trucking regulations. Copyright: Thobile Malinga et al.
INTRODUCTION: long-distance truck drivers have been identified as a high-risk group for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection. Thus, the aim of this scoping review is to map out the existing evidence on the impact of long-distance truck drivers on the spread of COVID-19 and measures that countries can implement to mitigate this route of spread in the African region. METHODS: we searched the PubMed database and the website of the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020 for eligible studies. RESULTS: the search strategy identified 669 citations, of which six met the inclusion criteria. The most frequently reported interventions were maintaining hand hygiene, social distance, testing truck drivers, regulation of trade and transport e.g. only trucks with the food, medical supplies, fuels, agricultural supplies will be allowed to operate in interstate operations and regulating and controlling trucks carrying essential goods and services e.g. truck drivers are required to declare their final destination and are urged to stop only at designated points. Two studies from the African region reported about border closures and entry and exit screening, two studies from the US reported about the threat for public safety and risks and mitigation plans and 2 guidelines reported about harmonisation and facilitation of cross border in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak. CONCLUSION: this review highlights the countries response to mitigate the impact of the pandemic by implementing measures to facilitate safe cross-border trade and adopting regional harmonization of trucking regulations. Copyright: Thobile Malinga et al.
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