How COVID19 can impact drivers?
We have been immersed in everything COVID19 now for around two years. At first, we didn’t know a lot about the virus and what it does to humans, but now with millions of people suffering around the world, we have a better picture.
One of the commonly reported side effects from the virus and indeed the vaccine is something referred to as ‘Brain Fog’. Brain fog is not a medical term but is used to describe a range of symptoms felt, including:
- Loss of concentration
- Confusion
- Slower thinking
- Fuzzy thoughts
- Forgetfulness
- Lost words
- Mental fatigue
Brain fog can feel similar to the effects of sleep deprivation (fatigue) or stress and is now well regarded as a legitimate side effect and could be combined with actual fatigue sustained from being sick.
When we read these symptoms as road safety educators, alarm bells start to ring as cognitive decline, even for a short period of time while behind the wheel of a vehicle can be deadly. We are concerned that as we now learn to live with COVID19 and with so many people being infected with it, we may see ‘Brain Fog’ related incidents. If you are an employer, under WHS laws you need to have some sort of plan for workers who may have this condition.
For anyone with brain fog, our recommendation is to stop driving altogether while infected by the virus and for at least two days following vaccination if you notice brain fog as a side effect.
I suffered brain fog with my first shot of the Pfizer vaccine, my thoughts at the time were “there is no way I can safely drive right now”.
I likened the effect of brain fog to that of being intoxicated with a blood alcohol content (BAC) exceeding 0.05. That was how I felt it had affected me, and this lasted for the better part of 24 hours. I am not alone in feeling this way, many people I have spoken with have had a similar response including members of my own family.
While we do not know of any studies regarding the exact extent of cognitive decline and its direct relation to the driving risk, if it is like being intoxicated then the likelihood of a crash is significant, and therefore the risk is very high. With the reported symptoms also mimicking similar effects to that of fatigue, we simply cannot overlook this condition.
Pressure is mounting on our supply chain; shelves are empty, people expect faster delivery of goods, the temptation from employers is to push drivers harder. If this is combined with a possible brain fog situation, we will see some very serious consequences.
When a worker returns to work following a period of leave due to COVID19, we suggest the use of a health check questionnaire that allows you to ascertain their ability to return to the workplace where risk might be a factor. We also suggest that workers should not drive for any part of their employment two days following any vaccinations. This is a precautionary measure and obviously, you should be guided by your worker, they may need longer before they can come back to driving duties.
This may not be the message you are looking to read right now given the pressure we are all under, but as we are now living with this virus, we must account for the side effects of it and the treatments we have available right now. As research continues into brain fog, we may find other ways around this problem, but right now we must all do our due diligence in keeping ourselves and our staff safe.
If you are reading this from a personal perspective and not as an employer, then we suggest applying the strategy above for yourself or your family. Remember once a crash occurs it is too late, we can’t go back after the fact, so being proactive with this is the only option.
We hope you enjoyed this blog, please share it with your peers and friends to help educate everyone on this issue. It is everyone’s responsibility to keep our roads safe.
Best Regards
Stewart Nicholls
Managing Director
STC Education