Public transport vehicles told to follow ventilation, Health Protocols

22 July 2021 – Drivers of public transportation vehicles are being reminded to disinfect their plastic barriers installed in compliance with minimum public health standards with the ongoing Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Aside from regular disinfection, drivers are likewise reminded to replace their plastic barriers if these are already tattered defeating the purpose for social distancing in public transport.

Engr. Charles Bryan Carame, chief of the Sanitation Division of the City Health Services Office reiterated the need to open windows for better ventilation inside public transport vehicles.

He reminded public transport drivers that barriers should be rigid and steady not freely moving with the air.

“For the minibusses in the city, the passenger has the right to open the windows. We had several meetings with the owners of the minibusses and recommended not to use the aircon and prefer natural air ventilation by opening the windows,” Carame said.

For the big provincial buses without windows, Carame said the air conditioning system should have air filters particularly high-efficiency particulate absorbing filter (HEPA) filter or the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) 13 which are the standard air purifiers for airborne pathogens in an indoor setting.

“If you’re driving in a car with people, open the window, even a little bit and wear masks. It is the shared air that matters most,” Carame stated. – Jessa Samidan