By Art Cernoia
Understanding the dangers of Covid-19 has been like looking for truth in a funhouse mirror. Horror scenes from hospitals compete with mask-less MAGA rallies and an increasing awareness that in the United States at least, science and politics have collided catastrophically. According to Paul Krugman in a July 14th New York Times article, the pandemic death rate in the U.S. is ten times higher than in the European Union.
So what to believe about taking the bus or the train during the pandemic? And what about Covid’s longer-term implications for public transportation?
Looking at other countries seems to offer encouragement. According to a June 9th article in Bloomberg City Lab, France and Japan – both countries with vast and highly-used public transportation systems – were not able to find a connection between clusters of Covid 19 and traveling on the bus or the train. While data is not conclusive, Bloomberg posits that “Rigorous masking, limited conversation, short exposure times and some ventilation appear to dramatically minimize the risk of super-spreader-type conditions on trains and buses.”
A June 12th article in Science Daily was headlined: “Face masks critical in preventing spread of COVID-19. Study found that wearing a face mask stopped person-to-person spread of the virus.”
So, the verdict appears to be in: All we have to do is wear masks, not blabber on the bus, and everyone will probably be fine, right? Taking into account that no public activity is risk free, the answer appears to be a qualified “yes.”
…a sizable minority seems to view mask wearing as an unreasonable infringement of their personal freedom.
The fly in that ointment may continue to be that in the United States, a sizable minority seems to view mask wearing as an unreasonable infringement of their personal freedom. Even under mask wearing mandates, there is still the possibility that someone who dons a mask to get on the bus may sit down next to you, take off their mask and proceed to have a chat on their cell phone.
Public transportation remains a vital part of urban society. Trains and busses are so much more efficient than automobiles in getting people around. Cleveland RTA’s daily cleaning and sanitizing of busses as a safeguard against Covid-19 is to be commended. Implementing contactless fare collection would be another major step. But in the end, how we collectively behave while traveling on public transportation is most likely the biggest step we can take in ensuring a “safe journey” for everyone.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-09/japan-and-france-find-public-transit-seems-safe
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200612172200.htm