Social distancing means keeping space between yourself and other people outside of your home. In addition to everyday steps to prevent COVID-19, keeping space between you and others is one of the best tools we have to avoid being exposed to this virus and slowing its spread locally. That there’s an outbreak of Corona Virus Disease ’19 pandemic is no longer theory but reality.
Promoting Health and Safety in our public transportation system should be a subject of concern post COVID-19. By design vehicles have capacity as to the number of persons or load they should carry. The small buses we use for public transport by design are for THREE persons per row, what we have had is Four and Five seating respectively.
The front seat in cars is design for ONE person, what we’ve had are Two seating. FRSC has made frantic efforts to enforce adhering to the specified capacities with little or no corresponding support from the various State governments. The federal and state government must work together now to enforce strict compliance to the regulation on number of passengers and load in all categories of vehicles.
This is a complex issue, most of the vehicles used for public transportation are not air conditioned and they are usually stuffy, especially during the rains. We must of a necessity take a stand on the approved number of passengers as it relates to the health impact of our people. Prior to this time, we’ve paid no attention to motor vehicle air pollution, which probably causes a similar number of premature deaths as do traffic crashes.
Our public transport are too crowded, government must act now. This is the time to press the reset button on a lot as it relates to social distancing. Passengers sitting so tightly in the buses, sweating on each other must stop. We can’t continue with our unsafe and unhealthy old ways expecting different results.
We must discourage the use of motorcycles as a mode of public transport by all means, if the rider is a carrier of the virus; it’s free distribution to all his passengers.
Maintain Social Distance, a clean environment and do what’s in your power to do. In case you’ve come in contact with a confirmed coronavirus case or you’re experiencing the symptoms- fever, cough or difficulty breathing, contact the relevant agency immediately.
NCDC hotline 0800 970 0000 or if you develop any non-COVID-19 health issues during the lockdown period dial 08000EKOMED (08000356633) toll-free line for consultation.
Stay safe.
