Transit agencies are quietly taking steps to protect customers against the novel coronavirus.
Several say they have stepped up efforts to clean vehicles and stations, and switched to more aggressive anti-microbial cleansers as a precaution.
sa国际传媒 Transit hasn鈥檛 followed suit, so far 鈥� buses continue to be cleaned each evening when they return to the yard, which is standard practice. sa国际传媒 Transit said in a statement that it is taking its lead from the federal and provincial governments.
鈥淗ealth experts advise the risk rating is still low, and we continue to monitor the situation along with our partners, including Translink,鈥� sa国际传媒 Transit said.
鈥淗ealth experts recommend customers to reconsider travel plans if they are not feeling well, to follow proper hand hygiene practices, including using hand sanitizer and hand-washing practices, and to please cover their nose and mouth if they have to cough or sneeze.鈥�
Transit staff are being reminded of the importance of such steps, sa国际传媒 Transit said.
鈥淚f the situation changes, we would then explore if additional cleaning practices need to be implemented,鈥� sa国际传媒 Transit said.
The operator of a heavily travelled bus and rail network in southern Ontario said it has already documented one instance of an infected passenger travelling on one of its vehicles.
Metrolinx spokeswoman Anne Marie Aikins said long-lasting disinfectant was tested on one of its GO Transit trains, and is being rolled out to the entire network after a patient who tested positive for COVID-19 used one of its vehicles to travel from the airport.
Aikins said the product primarily targets bacteria and mould rather than viruses, but the company views it as a sensible precaution. 鈥淲e think it鈥檚 just incumbent on us to do whatever we can to protect our staff and our customers,鈥� she said.
Aikins said the presence of an infected passenger was not unexpected and could happen again as the outbreak runs its course, but the company is prepared.
Aikins said the bus on which the patient travelled has been taken out of service for thorough decontamination. All other vehicles and terminals are being subjected to more regular cleaning, she said, adding hand sanitizer is also being made more widely available to passengers.
Similar measures are being taken at the Toronto Transit Commission, said spokesman Stuart Green. Railings and other regular points of contact in TTC stations are getting daily wipedowns rather than weekly, he said.
A disinfectant wipedown has been added to the daily bathroom-cleaning routine. Similar measures are in place on subways, buses and streetcars, he said, adding the company is also considering switching to a long-lasting disinfectant.
Green said the TTC鈥檚 action plan is based on advice from Toronto Public Health, which, along with comparable agencies across the country, has described the risk of contracting the virus as very low. 鈥淩ight now, they鈥檝e told us that what we鈥檙e doing is fine,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o we鈥檙e comfortable that we鈥檙e doing all we need to do now.鈥�
Transit agencies in Montreal and Vancouver said they, too, are taking cues from public health officials, who have maintained that individual measures 鈥� such as washing hands regularly, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home if ill 鈥� offer the most effective protection from the virus.
鈥淧rovincial Health Services says the risk to the public and staff remains low and it has not directed us to make any operational changes at this time,鈥� Vancouver鈥檚 TransLink said. 鈥淲e are working closely with the Provincial Health Services Authority to monitor this situation.鈥�
MICHELLE McQUIGGE
The Canadian Press
and sa国际传媒
