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The smaller physical distancing area in public transportation, which went into effect on Monday, has raised concerns about its ability to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
The Department of Transportation (DoTr) reduced the space between passengers from 1 meter to 0.75 meters, after the adjustment was approved by the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
The distance will narrow even more in the coming weeks.
The reduction was meant to encourage more people to ride jeepneys, buses, trains and other public transportation to work, which in the process spurred the reopening of the economy.
But, on the first day of its implementation, some officials and a group of health professionals questioned the effectiveness of reducing safe distancing.
The Secretary of the Interior, Eduardo Año, is not totally convinced of the concept and says it might not be the best way to protect travelers from Covid-19.
“If we can really provide more transportation for our people instead of reducing the distance, it will be better,” he said in a television interview.
He said reducing the gap between cyclists was the “collective decision” of the IATF-EID reached during their meeting last Thursday.
He said he was late for the meeting because he had just arrived from the budget deliberations of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
“When I got to the meeting … the resolution was approved, but I also expressed my reservation for further discussion,” added Año.
Navotas City Mayor Tobias Tiangco also has doubts about the new distancing protocol for public vehicles.
He said reducing the space between travelers to increase the number of passengers was inconsistent with the minimum security standards that have been applied for the past six months.
“Trains, air-conditioned buses, airplanes, and other forms of public transportation are enclosed spaces. The risk of contagion in these spaces is greater than in the open air ”, he added.
“We have been urging our constituents to practice social distancing even at home and in the workplace. Why would we allow them to waive this security measure when taking public transport? “Tiangco said.” Two meters in the open air and 0.75 in closed spaces does not make any sense when studies show that there is an increased risk of transmission in closed spaces. “
A group of health professionals also opposed the reduction of distances in public service vehicles, saying it was “premature.”
Dr. Antonio Dans, from the Alliance of Health Professionals Against Coronavirus Disease 2019, said that, given the rate of increase in Covid-19 cases in the country, the measure would only make the situation worse.
“We thought, ‘If we look at the pandemic curve, it is too early, and the case will probably increase and our recovery will slow down’ then (as we study the pandemic curve, it is too early to tell and I think there could be an increase in cases and our recovery rate will slow down), ”Dans said during an online news conference Monday.
He added that while they disagreed with the DoTr, he said the group was in discussions with the department, the IATF-EID, and the National Covid-19 Task Force (NTF), as well as the Department of Health (DoH ) to discuss how to safely reopen the economy and allow public transportation to thrive.
He advised the public to continue to meet minimum health standards such as wearing masks and physical distancing, as well as self-isolation even if the person feels they have a mild case, and that people should travel only when necessary.
The Undersecretary of Health, María Rosario Vergeire, said that with the DoTr’s decision to optimize physical distancing for public transport, the public must “choose to participate in activities or use transportation options that allow a distance of one meter.”
Vergeire also appealed to the elderly, people with comorbidities and the immunosuppressed, and those who are ill to stay home.
Reacting to apprehensions about reducing safe distancing, Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said Monday that the matter would be discussed by the IATF-EID on Tuesday.
He noted that when the IATF-EID approved the revised protocol, no one objected.
“I was present at that meeting. The objections came after DoTr announced them, ”he said.
On Monday, the country registered 4,699 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total case count to 265,888.
A record 259 new deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 4,630.
It is the highest number of deaths in a single day since the 185 deaths on September 13.
There were 249 new recoveries, bringing the total recoveries to 207,504.
WITH ARLIE O. CALALO AND REINA TOLENTINO
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