03/07/2020
**********COVID-19 UPDATE Friday 3rd July 2020**********
I have made the decision to recommence driving lessons from the 6th July 2020, however due to all the extra precautions that need to be taken before, during and after each lesson I am unable to offer as many lessons per day as I did prior COVID-19. People who had a driving test cancelled due to COVID will take priority. Please take a look at the following so you know what to expect during and before deciding if you want to re-start with your driving lessons.
You need to consider:
• If you have any symptoms
• Do you fall into higher risk groups
• Do you have a relative or partner you are living with who is also moderate or high risk
The main symptoms of COVID 19 described by the government are (but not exclusively):
• a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• a loss of taste or smell
COVID-19 can make anyone seriously ill. But for some people, the risk is higher. There are 2 levels of higher risk as described on the gov.uk website:
• high risk (clinically extremely vulnerable)
• moderate risk (clinically vulnerable)
People at high risk from coronavirus include people who:
• have had an organ transplant
• are having chemotherapy or antibody treatment for cancer, including immunotherapy
• are having an intense course of radiotherapy (radical radiotherapy) for lung cancer
• are having targeted cancer treatments that can affect the immune system (such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors)
• have blood or bone marrow cancer (such as leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma)
• have had a bone marrow or stem cell transplant in the past 6 months, or are still taking immunosuppressant medicine
• have been told by a doctor they you have a severe lung condition (such as cystic fibrosis, severe asthma or severe COPD)
• have a condition that means they have a very high risk of getting infections (such as SCID or sickle cell)
• are taking medicine that makes them much more likely to get infections (such as high doses of steroids)
• were born with a serious heart condition and are pregnant
People who are shielding remain vulnerable and should continue to take precautions but can now leave their home if they wish, as long as they are able to maintain strict social distancing.
• If you’re classed as clinically extremely vulnerable from coronavirus
• If you’re clinically extremely vulnerable, you should have received a letter telling you that you’re in this group or have been told by your GP. DVSA recommends that you take your driving test after 1 August 2020, when shielding will be paused.
People at moderate risk from coronavirus include people who:
• are 70 or older
• are pregnant
• have a lung condition that's not severe (such as asthma, COPD, emphysema or bronchitis)
• have heart disease (such as heart failure)
• have diabetes
• have chronic kidney disease
• have liver disease (such as hepatitis)
• have a condition affecting the brain or nerves (such as Parkinson's disease, motor neurone
disease, multiple sclerosis, or cerebral palsy)
• have a condition that means they have a high risk of getting infections
• are taking medicine that can affect the immune system (such as low doses of steroids)
• are very obese (a BMI of 40 or above)
If you're at moderate risk from coronavirus, it's very important you follow current Government
advice, which states you should take particular care to minimise contact with others outside your
household.
If you're pregnant and worried about coronavirus, there is advice on the gov.uk website.
Remember that these rules apply to your customers too.
Government advice in England for employers is for those who cannot work from home to follow
social distancing guidelines which in England suggest keeping 1 metre + apart (may differ in other
countries) from colleagues or customers. This is still impossible for driver trainers in car. Even when
that is not possible it doesn’t mean you can’t necessarily work.
Recommencing driving lessons:
Driving instructors have been advised to follow these guidelines:
• Consider whether you or they have had any symptoms of the virus within the last 7 days or have been in contact with someone who has within the last 14 days.
• If they know anyone or have been in contact with anyone that is showing symptoms or has been doing so within the last 14 days.
• Remind them to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds, in line with Government guidance, immediately before leaving the house for their lesson. If they want to wear disposable gloves, to put them on just before getting into the car. Remind them that they should not touch their face.
• Make sure you ask your client to wear suitable clothing providing as much covering as is reasonable. Short sleeves are now acceptable.
• Once you arrive to collect them you should again assess whether they are well enough to start the lesson. Do not let them get into the car straight away, try to have a conversation with them at least 2 metres away and see if you notice any symptoms. Arrange to meet by the vehicle not at their front door.
• You need to be 100% happy with their state and if you are not don’t start the lesson and explain you need to cancel until they have recovered fully. Ideally do this before every lesson you have even if you only saw the pupil the day before
• Make sure then that they have washed their hands or have hand sanitiser ready for them making sure they sanitise their hands before getting into the car.
• Explain that you have also just cleaned your hands with hand sanitiser, or soap and water where possible and that both of you should avoid touching your face and hands
• Explain you will not shake their hand share visual aids, pens etc. with them and will be minimising contact with them for safety
• Explain that between lessons you have cleaned down door handles inside and out, windows and mirror controls, seat adjusters and head restraints, seatbelt and its connection, gear lever, steering wheel, indicator and wiper stalks, car keys and training resources
• Explain that the windows will be down as much as possible during the lesson to allow for ventilation, and tell them to wrap up warm as it might be cooler in the car than usual
• Avoid using the air conditioning if possible, however if it is used don’t set it to recirculate
• Explain that the client’s parents, guardians or friends, will not be able to sit in on the lesson or test
• Any new clients will need their licence checked ask them to hold the licence up so you can check it. Don’t touch or take the licence from them
• It is essential you have hand sanitiser and wash your hands as frequently as you can.
• Antibacterial wipes or spray (check they also say virus) should be used to clean down the car between lessons. Household disinfectant can also be used.
• Disposable gloves could be worn by yourself and the client, but you will still need to wash your hands and clean down surfaces and controls. Some people have a latex allergy so check with your clients. You will need to change them after each lesson
• We would not recommend the use of face visors, however, if a pupil is insistent on wearing one, then a mask or face covering must also be used as wearing a visor alone will provide little protection. Check with your insurance providers first before using a visor.
• If you do use a mask, make sure you use a new one frequently and dispose of the old one safely and responsibly. Cloth ones need to be washed at least daily and at 60 degrees and above to be effective. Gloves need to be changed frequently.
• Make sure you ask your client to wear suitable clothing providing as much covering as is reasonable, however, short sleeves are now acceptable.
• Wash your clothing as soon as you have finished work for the day
• It is essential that the PPE equipment you choose does not impede yours, or the client’s ability to control the vehicle or communicate with you. For that reason, we do not recommend plastic face visors or plastic screen dividers between yourself and the client. They could be dangerous if they mist up or an airbag is deployed and they may be regarded as an adaptation to the vehicle.
During the lesson consider the following:
• Visual aids and any training resources should be held up and not passed between the two of you to hold and touch
• Writing should be done by the ADI don’t share a pen or other devices where possible. If you do then clean with anti-bac wipes straight afterwards
• Try to avoid directly facing each other when discussing scenarios, it is safer to face forwards in the vehicle because we cannot maintain being 1 metre + apart in England, other countries may differ
• Have a discussion outside of the car where safe and legal to do so
• If you give a demonstration drive you will need to wipe down the controls before and after the drive
• If the instructor has to touch the controls during the lesson the car must be pulled up at the earliest convenience and the controls must be wiped down. If the instructor and client touched hands as a result they must both sanitise their hands.
• Consider wherever possible giving any briefing notes digitally
• Consider wherever possible reducing the handling of cash and use electronic payments and receipts
After the lesson:
• After you have finished the lesson you will need to repeat some of the same processes that you did at the start of the lesson. If you then drive to pick up your next client, you will need to repeat the process, in short, each time that someone has been in the driving seat, sanitise.
• Remind the client to wash their hands as soon as they get back into their house.
