Everyone hopes for 2022 to be better than the previous one, bringing along with its miracles, joy and prosperity. 2020 started no differently with people’s hopes and excitement high. However, as the year unfolded, it didn’t take much longer for the deadly Covid-19 virus to damper people’s enthusiasm for the entire year and beyond.
With Covid-19, the whole world came to a standstill and unexpected halt. It subsequently impacted people’s day-to-day lives and altered lifestyles to quite an extent. As the impact of Covid-19 intensified with millions of deaths and suffering worldwide, the need for an antidote escalated to extreme desperation. The more affluent sections were ready to pay hefty prices and even fly off to foreign nations to get early access to remedies for Covid-19.
However, during such desperate times, with each nation prioritizing the wellness and safety of its residents, no special privileges were provided to anyone, let alone some wealthy foreigners. Therefore, with no other option available, everyone had to sit put and have faith in the health industry to develop a cure for Covid-19.
Eventually, the health sectors in different nations came up with antidotes in vaccines. Although the vaccine doesn’t provide absolute protection from the virus, it strengthens our body’s immunity to fight against it. Hence, as soon as vaccines were released, people made a beeline to get themselves vaccinated against Covid-19. The governments, too, raised widespread awareness regarding the benefits of vaccination and Covid-19 protocols to contain the further spread of the virus.
Only after people started getting vaccinated and the numbers of infections and death lowered than before, the Covid protocols were relaxed a little. Then, gradually, people got adjusted to the “new normal”, and the typical life commenced again after a long gap. One familiar example is the resumption of daily transport services curtailed when the Covid situation worsened.
Much to the relief of many people highly dependent on transport services, permission for their resumption was granted. However, masking, social distancing, and other strict Covid protocols were provided to be adhered to while using public transport.
The Importance of Vaccination for Public Transport Workers
The most vital requirement to access public transport is being vaccinated. As many commuters use public transport, getting infected with the COVID-19 virus becomes highly probable. People from different regions of a city, state, or country, differing hygiene situations, having multiple health ailments, all board the same public transport to travel from one destination to another. It makes public transportation, without a doubt, a platform carrying more significant risks of contracting the virus than private vehicles.
The public transport workers, who are considered among the front-line workers, are putting their lives at risk to ensure the smooth functioning of the nation. The sacrifices they are making in such difficult times when most people contemplate stepping out of their homes are commendable.
The governments have prioritized their safety in recognition and respect towards their dependable and tireless services. How? By allotting the first batch of vaccinations for the front-line workers. By getting faster access to vaccines, they can seamlessly perform their duties while safe from the virus. But the efforts of the government won’t suffice. As responsible citizens of a nation, we should do our part to ensure their safety by vaccinating ourselves to prevent the further spread of the virus.
Here are a few precautions the public transport authorities and commuters can take to prevent the contraction of the virus.
Checking Vaccination Status
Before allowing passengers to board any public transport, a thorough inspection of their vaccination status is mandatory. People having completed two or at least one dose of vaccine should only be allowed to board the vehicles. The others with no proof of vaccination should not be allowed access to public transports.
No Masks, No Entry
As frustrating as it may be, it is pretty common to see most people without masks and the other smaller percentage wearing them wrongly. To sink in the reality of the hazardous situation, stricter restrictions for wearing masks and severe actions for people failing to do so are required. Especially in high contractible setups like public transports, people not wearing masks shouldn’t be allowed to purchase tickets, let alone access them.
Zero-Touch Facilities
In the current Covid existent world, the less physical contact we have with others, the better it is for everyone’s safety. Public transportation, the traditional medium for most people, is not the most convenient platform to maintain that. A few alterations can make public transports much safer to travel in. Provision of online or machine ticket booking and digital verification of tickets can considerably limit physical interactions, thereby curbing the spread of Covid-19.
Social Distanced Seating
Life has to go on, even in the depressing times of Covid. It is the responsibility of both the commuters and the authorities to keep the Coronavirus at bay by maintaining social distancing. Leaving a gap of at least two seats in between commuters should help maintain that. Also, only a few people should board a public transport vehicle at a time, and crowding shouldn’t be allowed at any cost.
Zero to Limited AC Usage
The use of air conditioning in closed situations, be it a room or a vehicle, can highly multiply the probability of Coronavirus contraction. To avoid such a situation from unfolding, air conditioning usage in vehicles should be banned until further notice. Even when the Covid situation gets better, it is advisable to limit the use of air conditioning in vehicles as much as possible.
The fight against the Coronavirus is extensive, and from what it seems like so far, it is also a pretty prolonged one. To finally claim victory over it, every person’s organized efforts to come together and function unitarily are crucial. However, no matter how many precautions a person takes, if the next person is careless, the efforts of the former will all go in vain. Therefore, being physically equipped to fight off the virus is necessary, so being vaccinated is the need of the hour. So get vaccinated and do your part of preventing Covid from inflicting further damage on the world.