Call for masks after Sydney bus driver falls sick with COVID-19
A Sydney bus driver has been diagnosed with COVID-19, as colleagues call for better protection for transport workers during the coronavirus health crisis.
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A Sydney bus driver has been diagnosed with COVID-19, the first State Transport Authority employee to fall sick from the deadly virus.
Today the transport union responded by calling for authorities to give drivers “the bloody masks” they’ve been asking for.
The sick driver based at the Willoughby depot was confirmed to have the virus on April 12, after being off sick since the end of his shift on April 7, according to a letter from the STA.
The driver sought a test for COVID-19 on April 9, “unknown to STA”.
The test results came back on April 12, confirming the driver had the coronavirus virus.
The letter said that NSW Health had been in contact with the bus operator and “no close contacts with other depot employees are reported” and that the health authorities “do not consider any passengers close contacts at this time”.
The letter said buses and the depot have been cleaned daily, at least five times, before and after the driver’s last shift.
STA cautioned depot staff to “monitor for the development of any respiratory symptoms”.
Meanwhile, a bus driver from the northern beaches who does not want to be named, said he and colleagues are concerned they are not getting enough protection from STA, with drivers armed with just a small bottle of hand sanitiser and some kitchen wipes.
“I’ve been to Chemist Warehouse and they have shields protecting their staff,” he said.
“Numbers of passengers are down but we get people from Coles using the buses to get around and they’re in contact with the public all the time too.
“We also get the homeless and drug addicts who are more vulnerable to the disease.
“What I want to know is did the driver acquire the virus from an unknown source, because if he did there would be a high chance he got it from the buses.”
David Babineau from the Tram and Bus Division of the RTBU said the Willoughby case highlighted the need for bus drivers to be issued with face masks.
“As an afternoon driver in the current climate it’s likely he wouldn’t have been driving many passengers but still would have had direct contact with the public,” Mr Babineau said.
“We’ve been asking Transport for NSW for masks for all drivers but we keep getting the standard response – that masks are not needed.
“We’re being told that bus drivers are front-facing staff, as opposed to frontline staff, because we’re not dealing with infectious people in the same way a doctor would be.
“However we are dealing with people who may be sick and people we don’t know could be sick.
“Drivers are in an enclosed environment all day with very little natural air circulating. Just give us the bloody masks.”
Mr Babineau added that NSW Health was using Opal card data to contact trace passengers who potentially had contact with the driver.
A spokesman for Transport for NSW said Transport for NSW and STA were working with NSW Health and can confirm all buses and depots continue to be cleaned in-line with enhanced processes.
The spokesman refused to comment on individual cases.
“Transport for NSW is following the most up-to-date information from NSW Health in relation to coronavirus and all our activity has the safety of our customers and staff at the forefront,” a spokesman said.
A further comment has been sought on protection for bus drivers.