Serveral studies on this page
Note that truck drivers:
- Are older
- Have various health problems,
- including diabetes which is associated with increased risk of COVID-19
- Have 16 year shorter lives
- Encounter many people
- Have lower level of vitamin D due to increased UVA to UVB ratio of light coming thru truck window
See VitaminDWiki
- US truckers die 16 years sooner (UVA-low Vitamin D, obesity, little exercise)
- UVA decreased serum levels of vitamin D - RCT Oct 2012
Long Distance Truck Drivers and the Increasing Risk of COVID-19 Spread in Uganda
Lancet, July 16, 2020, FREE PDF
A novel COVID-19 based truck driver syndemic? Implications for public health, safety, and vital supply chains
Am J Ind Med May 27, 2020, FREE PDF
U.S. long-haul truck drivers traverse great distances and interact with numerous individuals, rendering them vulnerable to acquiring and transmitting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Together, the unique co-occurrence of pronounced health disparities and known COVID-19 infection, morbidity, and mortality risks suggest the possibility of a novel COVID-19 based truck driver syndemic due to advanced driver age and endemic health issues. In turn, COVID-19 sequelae may perpetuate existing health disparities. The co-occurrence of afflictions may also result in compromised safety performance. To curb the likelihood of a COVID-19 based truck driver syndemic, several action stepsare needed.
- First, key COVID-19 metrics need to be established for this population.
- Second, relationships between long-haul trucker network attributes and COVID-19 spread need to bedelineated.
- Third, mutually reinforcing interactions between endemic health disparities and COVID-19 vulnerability need to be elucidated.
- Finally, grounded in the aforementioned steps, policies and interventions need to be identified and implemented.