Truck drivers have been on the frontline of Covid. At a time when the world called on people to shelter in place, drivers stepped up and faced exposure to the illness in order to keep stores and hospitals stocked. Now, truck drivers are facing discrimination because of their increased exposure to the virus.
A restaurant in Canada refused to serve truck drivers because of their increased exposure to the virus.
“It’s a bit disappointing to hear the adverse things directed at truck drivers in the province,” Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said.
“We shouldn’t be stigmatizing truck drivers. We should be thanking them. They’ve kept our supply chains open. They’re taking risks,” said Roussin.
Manitoba has 318 recorded Covid cases — eight of those are truck drivers, said the Manitoba Trucking Association.
The trucking association said that it has received several reports of truck drivers being denied service.
“One of the reasons Manitobans were able to stay home and self-isolate comfortably was because Manitoba truck drivers didn’t stay home,” said Executive Director of the Manitoba Trucking Association Terry Shaw.