Lorry driver spent days feeling ‘like a leper’ in his cab after positive coronavirus test

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A lorry driver from Northern Ireland has explained how testing positive for coronavirus resulted in him spending days in his cab with no access to washing or sanitary facilities.

As ITV News reports, John Hanna, who has been driving lorries in and out of Europe for over 20 years, was due to deliver a load to Belgium via France last week.

Unfortunately, when John took the coronavirus test required to enter France, he tested positive for the virus at a testing centre in Liverpool. The experienced driver told Ulster Tv that from that moment on, „nobody wanted to know. I just felt like a leper”.

As John was not immediately directed to a hotel to self-isolate, the trucker had to spend three days in his cab with no access to washing or sanitary facilities. John told ITV News that he thought there would be system in place as there currently is in Kent:

“I thought the guys out there would have had something in place, the way they have something in place in Kent. If you go down into Kent and test positive, they have a hotel and stuff down there for you, but they have nothing up this end at all for drivers.”

In an interview with armaghi.com, John also expressed confusion as to why nobody bothered to track or trace his whereabouts after he was confirmed to have the virus:

“What I couldn’t understand was why they didn’t even take my mobile number; how were they going to track and trace me if anything does go wrong, or if I did go anywhere.”

Fortunately, not long after John’s plight reached social media, his plea for help was heard. A local councillor reached out to Liverpool City Mayor’s Office, and an apartment where John could self isolate was found. Although the trucker had developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, he is now asymptomatic.

According to ITV, John now intends to work with the RHA to push for change that would help local lorry drivers if they tested positive while working away from home.


Photo credit: wallpaperflare.com (illustrative image)

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