ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½is calling on the World Health Organization and national governments to introduce urgently a global mutually recognised digital vaccination certificate for commercial truck and coach drivers.
Governments need to prioritise commercial drivers in national vaccination programmes. Uncoordinated action by governments, and their chaotic COVID-19 testing and vaccination schemes, are endangering drivers, mobility networks and supply chains.
Professional drivers are still being caught in long queues at makeshift roadside test centres, putting them at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 than in their usual protected working environment in their vehicles. Long waiting times at borders continue to lead to unnecessary disruptions to supply chains and mobility networks.
¡°Drivers have worked tirelessly through the pandemic to keep people and goods moving, despite often pointless restrictions at borders. They are essential workers and need priority access to vaccines,¡± said ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Secretary General Umberto de Pretto.
¡°The WHO needs to put in place a global framework for a mutually recognisable digital vaccine certificate as soon as possible to allow cross border commercial drivers to be able to continue doing their vital jobs,¡± he concluded.
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½member associations, representing more than 3.5 million operating companies worldwide, unanimously adopted the position last week at IRU¡¯s General Assembly.