Low probability of virus transmission in public transpo, DOTr chief says

With face-to-face classes about to resume next month amid rising numbers of COVID-19 cases anew, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) sought to reassure commuters that taking public transportation is still safe. 

The DOTr maintains that there is a low risk of contracting COVID-19 in public transportation

DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said research conducted at the height of the pandemic showed that there was a low probability of transmitting the virus in public transport. However, he clarifies that this is true only for as long as health and safety measures are strictly followed by passengers, drivers, and operators. 

A May 2021 report by BBC News cites the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as saying that the risk of contracting COVID-19 through contaminated surfaces in public transport is less than one in 10,000. 

Meanwhile, an article appearing in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) website dated December 2021 emphasized the role that public transportation plays in COVID-19 transmission. It adds that the risk of infection in public transport can be minimized primarily through wearing masks, ensuring adequate ventilation and air filtration, prohibiting food intake, and limiting conversations. 

Published scientific journals emphasize that physical distancing is also necessary, in addition to wearing masks

This was seconded by another study published on the BioMed Central (BMC) website in March 2022. It concludes that public transport is positively associated with the risk of contracting COVID-19, recommending the use of hand sanitizer in addition to other precautions. 

Another significant factor is reducing the number of passengers and distributing the seating arrangement to ensure physical distancing. However, this could prove challenging to enforce, as full passenger capacity in public transport such as buses and trains has been allowed under Alert Level 1, currently the most lenient lockdown status in the Philippines.              

On Wednesday, July 20, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 816 new cases of the Omicron BA.5 subvariant. According to DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario  Vergeire, the new COVID-19 strain has been found in all regions in the country, except for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). 

Meanwhile, DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista tests positive for COVID-19 

In an updated report, DOTr Secretary Bautista has tested positive for COVID-19 as of July 21, over two weeks after he conducted a surprise inspection of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3). The agency says that he continues to perform his duties despite being in isolation and exhibiting mild symptoms.   

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