COVID-19 Information
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Below are Q&A for commercial passenger transport drivers and passengers, and a list of webpages to receive up-to-date information regarding your own State or Territory.
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General Questions. |
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For Drivers. |
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what is coronavirus
(covid-19)? Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness caused by a new virus which affects humans and animals. Some Coronaviruses can cause illness similar to the common cold, and others such as SARS can cause more serious illness. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath, and can take up to 14 days to develop.
HOW IS COVID-19 TRANSMITTED?
COVID-19 spreads through close contact with an infected person, mostly face-to-face or within a closed space. It can’t jump across a room or be carried for long distances in the air.
WHAT IS A CLOSE CONTACT?
A close contact is a person who has been face to face for at least 15 minutes with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, or has been in the same closed space for at least two hours, when they were potentially infectious. You may be a close contact if you:
- are living in the same household or household-like setting (for example a boarding school or hostel) - have direct contact with the bodily fluids or laboratory specimens of a confirmed case - have spent two hours or longer in the same room - have had face-to-face contact with a confirmed case for more than 15 minutes, in any other setting not listed above. If you are a close contact, you have a significant risk of becoming infected with COVID-19. HOW CAN I REDUCE MY RISK OF DEVELOPING COVID-19?
Take the following steps to reduce your exposure and chance of getting ill with COVID-19:
- Wash your hands often with soap and running water, for at least 20 seconds. - Dry your hands with a paper towel or hand dryer. - Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth. - Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. - If you don’t have a tissue on hand, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow. - Clean and disinfect high touch surfaces regularly. - Stop shaking hands or kissing as a greeting. - Stay at home if you feel sick. - If you take medication make sure you have enough. Get vaccinated for the flu (influenza) when the vaccine is available in April. It isn’t yet known whether COVID-19 could significantly increase the risk of influenza infection. - Phone your doctor or the DHHS hotline – 1800 675 398 – if you need medical attention. They will tell you what to do. Continue healthy habits: exercise, drink water, get plenty of sleep. - Wearing a face mask is not necessary if you are well. - Buy an alcohol-based sanitiser with over 60 percent alcohol. - Avoid crowds if possible. If you can’t, keep the time spent in a crowd short. WHAT IS 'SOCIAL DISTANCING'?
Social distancing is a way to help slow down the spread of COVID-19. It involves changing your social habits to reduce the risk of transmission, and is beneficial to yourself and your community.
Social distancing is effective, but by itself it can’t eliminate the risk of transmission. It includes:
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Transporting Passengers.CAN A PASSENGER USE MY VEHICLE IF THEY ARE DISPLAYING SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19?
Wherever possible, unwell passengers should use a personal mode of transport to minimise exposure to others.
If a passenger needs to use a Taxi, Hire or Rideshare vehicle to travel to a location for isolation and is displaying symptoms, then they should avoid contact with the driver and stay more than 1.5 metres away from them. The passenger should sit in the back seat, and hand sanitisers should be available to both the passenger and driver. The air conditioner/heating setting should be set to external airflow mode, as opposed to recycled. If you believe a passenger hasn’t taken the above precautions and you can’t provide a safe service as a result, then you may choose to refuse or terminate the trip. It is never ok to refuse or cancel a trip based on a passenger’s nationality, disability or cultural background. There are equal opportunity and anti-discrimination laws that apply to fare refusal. You should also be mindful of passenger safety at all times. Can I ask passengers to apply disinfectant hand sanitiser?
While passengers aren’t required to apply hand sanitiser, you can certainly offer it to your passenger. You should also clean and disinfect surfaces in your vehicle which you and your passengers touch, as well as wash your own hands thoroughly with soap and water or use hand sanitiser, regularly.
Can I refuse cash as payment?
Digital and contactless payment methods may assist in reducing contact between drivers and passengers. If you do decide to receive cash, you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or apply hand sanitiser after handling it. Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
Keeping Your Vehicle Clean.How can I keep my vehicle clean and am I required to clean my vehicle after each trip to minimise the impact of the virus?
You should regularly clean and disinfect surfaces in your vehicle which you and your passengers touch.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, or use hand sanitiser, regularly. Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands. Keep a box of tissues in your vehicle. Using Masks.SHOULD CPV DRIVERS WEAR A MASK?
Yes. From 11.59pm Wednesday 22 July 2020, people 12 years and older living or travelling in metropolitan Melbourne or Mitchell Shire must wear a face covering when leaving home for one of the four permitted reasons.
People outside metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire are also advised to wear a face covering where physical distancing is not possible. However, if you need to travel into these areas then you must wear a face covering. From 11.59pm Sunday 2 August 2020, all Victorians 12 years and older must wear a face covering when leaving home. There are exemptions for individuals with breathing difficulties, and those who have physical conditions that make it difficult to wear a face covering. If you are driving on your own in a vehicle for work, you do not need to wear a face covering. When you leave your vehicle or need to interact with others, you should put on a face covering. For information about face mask suppliers and how to wear a face mask, see here. If you are travelling with others outside your household, including passengers or other people from your work, you must wear a face covering. SHOULD PASSENGERS WEAR MASKS?
Yes. From 11.59pm Wednesday 22 July 2020, people 12 years and older living or travelling into metropolitan Melbourne or Mitchell Shire must wear a face covering when leaving home for one of the four permitted reasons.
If you live in other parts of Victoria it is recommended you wear a face covering when you leave home and are in situations where it is difficult to maintain physical distance of 1.5 metres between yourself and others. If you need to travel into metropolitan Melbourne or Mitchell Shire then you must wear a face covering. From 11.59pm Sunday 2 August 2020, all Victorians 12 years and older must wear a face covering when leaving home. There are exemptions for children under 12 years, individuals with breathing difficulties, and those who have physical conditions that make it difficult to wear a face covering. |
Coronavirus Information Websites.
State/Territory |
Entity with COVID-19 Advice & Updates |
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National |
Australian Government Health Department |
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Australian Government |
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Australian Capital Territory |
Access Canberra |
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ACT Government |
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Aerial Capital Group |
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Canberra Airport |
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New South Wales |
NSW Government |
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Point to Point Transport Commissioner |
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Sydney Airport |
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Northern Territory |
Department of Health |
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NT Government |
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Queensland |
Brisbane Airport |
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Chief Health Officer |
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Limousine Action Group Queensland |
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Queensland Government |
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South Australia |
Adelaide Airport |
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SA Health |
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South Australian Government |
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Tasmania |
Department of Health |
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Hobart Airport |
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Victoria |
Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria |
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Health and Human Services |
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Melbourne Airport |
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Victorian Government |
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Western Australia |
Department of Health |
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Department of Transport |
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Perth Airport |
