Page 19 - ATR 5 2020 digital

“MEMBERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION, THE TRUCKERS
OF AMERICA, ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS. WITHOUT
YOUR EFFORTS, WITHOUT YOUR RISKS, WE
WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BATTLE THIS CURRENT

PANDEMIC. IT IS YOU AND YOUR MEMBERS THAT ARE
DELIVERING THE SUPPLIES THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR
THE PROTECTION, TREATMENT AND DIAGNOSIS OF
COVID. I ACKNOWLEDGE YOU, AND I THANK YOU.”

—DR. JOSÉ ROMERO, SECRETARY OF THE ARKANSAS
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

your phone to communicate with your gel on your hands. Don’t share your
managers instead of walking into the personal protective gear. Use prequali-
building whenever possible. Also, avoid fied truck stops and hotels. When
eating on the road. Pack food with you you’re team driving, make sure everyone
so you’re stopping only when you know wears masks. Roll down windows if you
a place is safe.” can to increase ventilation.”
Romero discouraged drivers from
physical contact with others, including THE ROLE OF PUBLIC HEALTH
shaking hands, and to keep trucks well EXPERTISE AND INSTITUTIONS
ventilated, especially if more than one Romero also explained the work the
person is inside a cab. Department of Health has been doing
He described the crucial role disin- since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
fection plays in reducing risk of infec- The Incident Command System has
tion. Cabs should be disinfected upon been in place for several decades, and
entrance and exit, and after someone is a standardized system that allows for
else has been in the cab. As a common cooperative response by both govern-
courtesy, mechanics should disinfect ment and non-government agencies
and wipe down surfaces after they fin- to organize and coordinate response
ish their work inside a cab, he said. activities while maintaining local deci-
Paying attention to seemingly small sion-making authority. This structure,
details can make a big difference. activated as soon as the possibility of a
“If you have a sleeper berth, disin- COVID-19 spread was known, collects
fect light switches and change linens and organizes real-time information on
as much as possible,” he said. “Your the status of the virus, he said.
sanitizer gels should contain at least 60 “It maintains situational awareness
percent alcohol, and you should use it for the entire Health Department, and
before and after leaving your cab, before it maintains an inventory of respirators
eating or preparing food, and after and PPE,” he said. “They’re the ones
removing or touching your face mask. that tell us how much PPE or ventilators
Wash your hands after blowing your are in the state, so we know at all times
nose or using the restroom. If you’re if they’re available or not. It tracks the
using surfaces touched by others, at the status of procuring supplies we need,
pump, places that many other people 
are touching, you should wash and put

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 5 2020 19