This archive report was first published on 10 May 2020.
As the number of Kenyan truck drivers testing positive for Covid-19 continues to rise, with over 37 cases reported, the Ministry of Health has implemented new guidelines to curb the spread of the virus outside Kenya's borders.
According to the Ministry, the new guidelines will be used along the transport corridor between Uganda, Tanzania, and Somalia.
Director of Public Health Dr. Francis Kuria acknowledged that truck drivers have posed a significant risk factor in the spread of Covid-19, with many testing positive at border crossing points.
Dr. Kuria emphasized the importance of the new protocols, which were developed in consultation with neighboring countries, to prevent the spread of the virus.
Under the new guidelines, all truck drivers will be required to undergo Covid-19 tests 48 hours before commencing their journey.
Drivers will also be required to produce their Covid-19 test certificates at designated checkpoints along the transport corridor, which have been set up by the Ministry of Health.
Additionally, the Ministry has established sample collection points in counties where drivers will be required to present themselves for testing before commencing their journey.
Truck drivers showing Covid-19 symptoms along the transport corridor will be linked to County Rapid Response teams and referred to quarantine or isolation centers for observation and treatment.
