CDC issues guidance for truckers who don’t want to go to New York City due to Coronavirus

On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued guidance for truck drivers delivering to New York City during the Coronavirus emergency.

The guidance comes after the White House issued a call for a 14 day self-quarantine for any person who has recently been in New York City, which is a currently hotbed for Coronavirus.

The 14 day self-quarantine call has reportedly resulted in confusion and fear among truckers who would deliver much needed grocery items and other supplies to New York City. A Bloomberg report claims that there is an uptick in truckers rejecting loads bound for the metropolitan New York area.

In response, the CDC issued guidance on March 26 explaining that critical transportation workers are exempt from the 14 day self-quarantine but should still try to practice social distancing by sleeping in their trucks or in a hotel.

From the CDC:

Truck drivers and other people driving into the city to deliver needed supplies should stay in their vehicles as much as possible as supplies are loaded and unloaded, avoid being within 6 feet of others as much as possible when they exit their vehicles, and move to electronic receipts if possible. If these drivers need to spend the night in the greater New York City area, they should stay in their hotel rooms or sleeper cab, when available, to the extent possible and continue to practice social distancing. Drivers who take these precautions should not need to self-quarantine when they leave the greater New York area, unless self-quarantine is recommended by state or local officials for all residents in the areas where they live.

Truck drivers and other workers who obtain or deliver needed supplies who live in the greater New York area may continue to work both within and outside of the greater New York area but should stay at home and practice social distancing according to instructions of state and local officials when they are not working. While they are working either within or outside of the greater New York area, they should stay in their vehicles as much as possible, avoid being within 6 feet of others as much as possible when they exit their vehicles, and move to electronic receipts if possible.

The CDC continues to recommend that others who have visited New York City self-quaratine for two weeks.

While the CDC recommends that drivers rest in their trucks, earlier this week, the NYPD reportedly cracked down on illegally parked sleeping truck drivers in Brooklyn.

The 66th Precinct even tweeted about towing the parked trucks but has since deleted the tweet.