The appearance of the Omicron variant has caused the spread of COVID-19 in the community to increase, especially in public places with a high density of people such as train and bus stations. To effectively strengthen the COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, the provincial transport sector has directed passenger transport activities on fixed passenger routes and public passenger transport by bus in order to minimize the risk of spreading the COVID-19 epidemic during their operations.
“5K” strictly followed
As noted by reporter in the morning of March 17 at Binh Duong bus station, although the number of passengers traveling on fixed bus routes to the provinces as well as local buses is very low, not because of that, the COVID-19 epidemic prevent and control measures, especially the compliance with the "5K" message of Ministry of Health have not been ignored in operation, management and passenger transport.
Mr. Huynh Van Trong, Director of Binh Duong provincial Station, said that in the past few days, following the direction of the Department of Transport, activities at the station have been strengthened by supervision of the implementation of measures to prevent and control COVID-19 epidemic under the recommendations of the health department, especially the requirements for officers, employees and transport units as well as passengers to absolutely and strictly implement the "5K".
A passenger implements “5K” upon purchasing fares at Binh Duong provincial Station
“In management and operation activities, the station also conducts regular COVID-19 tests for officers and management staff, especially the ticket sales division that often comes in contact with the passengers. The bus station stipulates that passengers buying tickets as well as staff should ensure the distance, disinfection and mask-wearing. Particularly for the transporters, the units in charge of passenger and bus routes are also required to strictly implement "5K", be equipped with sanitation solution, keep seat distance, compel passengers to wear masks during the servicing process. Vehicles must be regularly cleaned and disinfected to limit the risk of COVID-19 transmission during operation," said Trong.
Epidemic prevention and control enhanced to keep passengers
Talking to reporters, Ms. Tran Kim Hoang, owner of Kim Hoang bus company servicing the Binh Duong - Tien Giang route, shared that they also remind drivers, servicing staff, and passengers not to be subjective and negligent in their work but to implement the "5K" to limit the risk of infection during operations. “Since Tet holiday, the number of passengers traveling on the route has decreased significantly due to concerns about COVID-19 transmission. Many people choose to take their own car or limit their travel. Therefore, in order to keep passengers, bus operators must take good measures to prevent and control the epidemic, especially implementing "5K" so that passengers can feel more secure," said Ms. Hoang.
Holding the same opinion, in the context of bus operations facing many drawbacks, Mr. Doan Trong Tuan, Deputy Director of Phuong Trinh Joint Stock Company (Phuong Trinh bus), said that Phuong Trinh bus has implemented preventive measures to all drivers, service staff and passengers. After each trip, the unit disinfect the entire inside of the vehicle to ensure epidemic prevention and control at the request of the management agency. “In the current difficult situation, when the number of visitors decreases and fuel prices continue to increase, while waiting for the roadmap to restore normal operation, in my opinion, the units need to improve the service quality, especially the measures to prevent and control the epidemic to convince and create confidence for passengers to choose buses to travel," Tuan expressed.
Ms. Truong Ngoc Hien, a resident of Phu Tho ward in Thu Dau Mot city, said that she has chosen bus to travel for many years from Binh Duong to Mien Dong Station in Ho Chi Minh city. According to Ms. Hien, in the current complicated epidemic situation and in the environment of contact with many people, especially in passenger transport, each person needs to always raise their own awareness in well and fully performing COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control measures such as hand disinfection, safe distance, and mask-wearing throughout the journey.
Informing about the solutions to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic, Mr. Nguyen Chi Hieu, Deputy Director of the Department of Transport, said that a plan to strengthen epidemic prevention and control in traffic and transportation activities has been in place while the department also has sent an official dispatch to bus stations, passenger transport business units on fixed routes, and public passenger transport by bus on continuing to strengthen the strict implementation of the "5K" message of the Ministry of Health. “The units must absolutely not be subjective to neglect the COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control measures during operations as well as in the process of transporting passengers to ensure safe passenger transport and minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection on staffs as well as passengers during the operations," said Mr. Hieu.
Reported by Minh Duy – Translated by Vi Bao
