If you don’t have a car, travelling to where you need to be during a pandemic can be a scary experience. Those who have their own vehicle can get from A to B without worrying about coming into contact with others or spreading the virus, while public transport users don’t have the same luxury. The good news is that public transport providers and taxi companies around the UK are doing everything that they can to keep passengers as safe as possible. Here are some of the main things that you can do to support this and keep both yourself and others safe from COVID-19.
Travel Off-Peak
Wherever you can, try to travel during off-peak rather than peak times of the day, where you are less likely to come into contact with lots of other people. Travelling off-peak typically means that there are going to be more available seats on buses and trains, so you can put more space between yourself and other passengers and adhere to social distancing guidelines.
Take a Taxi
Taking a taxi is a good alternative to public transport if you need to get somewhere and don’t want to risk getting stuck in a crowd. Your own private taxi means that you don’t need to come into contact with anyone other than the taxi driver, who will have made sure that the cab is fully sanitised and be wearing a face covering. Choose a reputable taxi company like premierminicabs.com, who are taking a range of special measures to keep drivers and customers as safe as possible during these trying times, and adhere to COVID-19 safety rules when travelling in the cab, such as wearing a face covering.
Carry Hand Sanitizer and Wipes
Public transport might be scary for people who are concerned about the virus as you don’t know who’s sat in the seat you’re now in, or what’ going on with the people around you. One way to help protect yourself further from the virus is to carry hand sanitiser and disinfecting wipes with you when using the bus or train. While transport companies are doing as much as they can to sanitise their vehicles, you will get more peace of mind from being able to wipe your seat down before you sit down and travel.
Cover Your Face
Finally, it’s now mandatory in England to wear a face-covering at all times on public transport except for if you have a medical exemption and for small children. If you struggle to wear a mask, it may be worth considering investing in a face shield to wear on public transport instead since this provides the same protection without restricting your mouth and nose as much. Covering your face not only protects you from droplets when people are talking and laughing around you but also protects other people around you if you are unknowingly infected.
Taking public transport can be very challenging in the midst of a pandemic. If you can’t avoid taking public transport to get where you need to be, keep these safety strategies in mind to protect yourself and others from infection.