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Last updated: 10/20/2020
Disclaimer: This guide is not meant to constitute legal or professional advice. Please consult a lawyer for any legal advice.
COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus, is a very contagious and dangerous virus, with symptoms including cough, shortness of breath, fever, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, headache, and muscle pain.
The CDC recently added congestion or runny nose, nausea, and diarrhea as symptoms as well.
Who’s at risk?
Everyone is at risk. But those who are at a higher risk of getting very sick are older adults and those who suffer from heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease.
You can learn more about COVID-19 from the CDC here.
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
Can someone spread the virus without being sick?
Spread from contact with contaminated surfaces or objects
A person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.
What if I think I already had COVID-19?
You can get an antibody test to find out if this was the case. The implications of a positive antibody test are unclear at this time.
You can go to any CityMD location to receive an antibody test. Their locations are here. Northwell Health Urgent Care is also providing antibody tests. Their locations are here. Fees may apply.
As a driver, you come into contact with many people throughout the day, increasing your risk of getting the virus or spreading it. Below are ways to stay safe and healthy:
Wear a Face Covering
On April 15th, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order requiring members of the public to wear a face covering when social distancing cannot be kept. This would include being inside a car. The order goes into effect on Friday, April 17th.
You can find the executive order here.
New York City is distributing face coverings. You can find a list of times and locations here.
As of April 2nd, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released a guidance recommending that all New Yorkers wear a face covering when they are outside of their homes, and, in particular, whenever using car services. We have copied some of the most important guidelines for drivers below. You can find the full guidance here.
What type of face covering is better — paper or cloth?
Either paper or cloth face covering is fine — as long as you are covering your nose and mouth. However, please do not hoard paper masks, especially medical-grade masks, such as N95 masks or surgical masks. These masks are in very short supply and our health care providers need masks to stay healthy and to care for the most critically ill. Health care workers cannot maintain distance from others, avoid sick people, or avoid contact with others’ bodily fluids such as saliva, so it is essential that we reserve masks for them.
Duke University recently did a study that ranked the most effective face coverings. You can check out a summary of the results here.
How often do I need to wash my face covering?
If you are using a cloth face covering, we recommend washing once a day by hand or machine using detergent. The face covering should be fully dry before using. People should have a couple of face coverings so they can rotate for washing.
Are there precautions I should take with my face covering?
Are there unsafe hand sanitizer brands I should be avoiding?
Yes. The CDC has deemed certain hand sanitizers unsafe to use. You can find more information, and a list of products, here.
Disinfect most commonly touched parts of the car: steering wheel, backseats, passenger handles, seatbelts, car buttons, and headrests. Here are more detailed tips for how to clean your car during Coronavirus.
Have a partition installed in your car.
Installing a partition is an important step in stopping the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus by separating you from your passengers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Taxi and Limousine Commission is allowing all vehicles without partitions to install temporary partitions by approved TLC-partition installers. See the updated approved list of partition installers here.
The TLC recommends contacting the approved installer prior to showing up to their business. The TLC also recommends keeping a copy of your installation paperwork in your vehicle to demonstrate the partition was installed by an approved installer.
If you are leasing your car, we also recommend reaching out to your leaser to make sure they approve and to see if they have any special deals for their clients.
Keep your car ventilated
As stated in this Private Auto Transportation Master Guidance released by New York, drivers should increase ventilation in their cars whenever possible by opening windows. If they are unable to, they should not use recirculated air when passengers are in the car.
We know it’s hard to find a bathroom to wash your hands, so we recommend keeping the following in your car so you can wash your hands on-the-go:
Coronavirus is rapidly spreading throughout the world. The best way to keep yourself, your family, and your community safe is to stay home if you think you might be getting sick, even if it’s just the common cold. Also, avoid public space and keep your distance from people when you’re not driving.
In April, we hosted a webinar with the New York City Department of Health’s Rima Oken, Director of Policy, Division of Disease Control and Anna Shats, Community Coordinator for South Brooklyn and Staten Island. We went over how drivers can stay safe and healthy while driving.
You can find the videos with Spanish subtitles here, French subtitles here, and Chinese subtitles here.
Check out our Telemedicine benefit here
Get Tested
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is recommending anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms should get a test.
There are plenty of ways to find a test near you:
New York City Department of Health testing website is here.
New York State Department of Health testing website is here.
You can get a free walk-in test at the locations listed here.
If you have questions about any symptoms you’re experiencing and don’t have a primary care provider, you can call the 24-hour state hotline at 1-888-364-3065, or 311 to receive assistance on making an appointment for a COVID-19 test.
All NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) locations are offering free COVID-19 antibody testing. An antibody test measures the proteins in your blood that fight off infections, and you can read more about them here. To find a testing location near you, click here.
Sign up for Duke Community Health Watch
You should also consider signing up for Duke Community Health Watch. In this program, they will:
If you are interested in learning more about the program and applying, please click here for more information.
Download the new COVID Alert NY app
COVID Alert NY is a totally voluntary and anonymous app that will alert you if you’ve been in close contact with someone who’s tested positive for COVID-19. You can learn more about and download the app here.
Contact Tracing
New York City Test and Trace Corps works through NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) and makes sure that everyone who tests positive for COVID-19 has what they need to quarantine and recover.
If you receive a phone call from “NYC Test +Trace” (212-540-****, or 212-242-****), please pick it up since it may be the NYC Test and Trace Corps trying to get in touch with you. Learn more about the NYC Test and Trace Corps, click here.
If you still have questions about COVID-19 and driving, we recommend you go to the CDC’s guidance on “Rideshare, Taxi, Limo, and other Passenger Drivers-for-Hire” here.