Let’s Fight it Together!
By: Raman Kumar
Tags: Startup, News, Awareness, Responsibility, Prevention

“Awareness is the First Step”

DriveU is committed to providing you with awesome drivers whenever and wherever you need. In our pursuit to keep our service at par, we strongly encourage that all of our drivers wear face masks and to consistently use hand sanitizers to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). We have trained our drivers, and will continually inform them of the best practices to maintain hygiene at all times for the best interest of their own health and the health of those around them.

Being India’s №1 driver services platform with a vast reach across major metros, we are equally responsible to proactively spread awareness for the well being of all stakeholders — car owners, drivers and employees. This blog is not intended to provoke panic, but to share useful information and resources to aid our customers and driver-partners. Aside from prevention efforts of facemasks and hand sanitizer, here are other important measures that we’ve informed our drivers to take:

Immediately seek medical consultation and inform the DriveU team if any symptoms are noticed. Discontinue a drive, even mid-way, if symptoms are noticed. We will provide a replacement driver and earnings won’t be affected. If a customer is showing symptoms, discontinue the drive immediately, and inform DriveU team, our driver earnings or customer fare will not be affected.

What are we dealing with here?

As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), COVID-19 is caused by a virus called coronavirus. Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhoea.

These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell.

Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment.

Spreads from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.

Droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch it by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

People can also catch it if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets.

Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. If you think a surface may be infected, clean it with a simple disinfectant to kill the virus and protect yourself and others. Clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.

If the symptoms are becoming severe with breathing issues, the person should immediately call the health department or see the nearest doctor with their recent journey details and people they have been in touch with.

Medication:

There is no evidence that current medicine can prevent or cure the disease. WHO does not recommend self-medication with any medicines, including antibiotics, as a prevention or cure for COVID-19.

Wear a mask or not?

Only wear a mask if you are ill with COVID-19 symptoms (especially coughing) or looking after someone who may have COVID-19. A disposable face mask can only be used once.

The most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to

Frequently clean your hands.

Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.

Avoid sneezing or coughing on your hands.

Cover your cough/sneeze with the bend of the elbow or tissue.

Maintain a distance of at least 2 meters from people who are coughing or sneezing.

Stay away from latest COVID-19 hotspots (cities or local areas where COVID-19 is spreading widely)

“An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.”

Important links and resources:

WHO (Q&A on Coronavirus) https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India http://www.mohfw.gov.in/

National Helpline (As per MoHFW, GOI)