Driver's brain fog from covid-19 linked to Cork crash that claimed lives of elderly couple

[Mij]

I have read several news stories in the last year about an increase in car accidents related to Covid infection.

LINK

State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster said that covid-19 was likely a contributory factor in the crash.

Dr Bolster found in her autopsy on Mr Allen on August 31, 2022, in City Morgue, Cork, no alcohol or drugs in his blood.

He had suffered “extremely severe crush injuries” and multiple fractures to his skull.

He tested positive for Covid-19 when swabbed in the mortuary.

“There were all sorts of brain symptoms with it […] it affected all organs of the body.

“Covid-19 – that’s the real item of interest here. He was positive for covid-19 and may have been feeling unwell,” Dr Bolster said.

 

[John Mac]

And there are plans to force half a million sick people back to work in the UK, how many of them will be suffering from Covid-19?
From my own experience at the Job Centre before finally getting ESA bus driver jobs were always being promoted/pushed.
4-30 am starts for a person who struggles to get to the toilet and back safely at that time.

 

[Mij]

We've had 3 cars drive into homes in my city in the last WEEK.

 

[Mij]

Driving Under the Cognitive Influence of COVID-19: Exploring the Impact of Acute SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Road Safety, 2024

Abstract
Objective
This study evaluated the association between acute COVID-19 cases and the number of car crashes with varying COVID-19 vaccination rates, Long COVID rates, and COVID-19 mitigation strategies.
Background
The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to significant concern over long-term post-infection sequelae, especially in the Neurologic domain. Long COVID symptoms, including cognitive impairments, could potentially impact activities requiring high cognitive function, such as driving. Despite various potential impacts on driving skills and the general prevalence of Long COVID, the specific effects on driving capabilities remain understudied.
Design/Methods
This study utilized a Poisson regression model to analyze data from 2020-2022, comparing aggregate car crash records and COVID-19 statistics. This model adjusted for population and included binary variables for specific months to account for stay-at-home orders. The correlation between acute COVID-19 cases and car crashes was investigated across seven states, considering vaccination rates and COVID-19 mitigation measures as potential confounders.
Results
Findings indicate an association between acute COVID-19 rates and increased car crashes with an OR of 1.5 (1.23-1.26 95%CI). The analysis did not find a protective effect of vaccination against increased crash risks, contrary to previous assumptions. The OR of car crashes associated with COVID-19 was comparable to driving under the influence of alcohol at legal limits or driving with a seizure disorder.
Conclusions
The study suggests that acute COVID-19, regardless of Long COVID status, is linked to an increased risk of car crashes presumably due to neurologic changes caused by SARS-CoV-2. These findings underscore the need for further research into the neuropsychological impacts of COVID-19. Further studies are recommended to explore the causality and mechanisms behind these findings and to evaluate the implications for public safety in other critical operational tasks. Finally, neurologists dealing with post-COVID patients, should remember that they may have an obligation to report medically impaired drivers.

LINK

 

[Mij]

I don't know if it's just a coincidence but there have been numerous reports of pilots dying during flights lately.

 

[Kitty]

From my own experience at the Job Centre before finally getting ESA bus driver jobs were always being promoted/pushed.

ME bus drivers would be like our day trip to Scarborough in the 1960s! The coach driver had had to stand in for another bloke at half an hour's notice and he'd no idea how to get there from Sheffield. The passengers had to direct him all the way, and my dad's mate somehow managed to engineer getting dropped off at the end of his street on the way back.