Washington Coronavirus: Staying Healthy On Public Transit

SEATTLE, WA — As coronavirus rates continue to rise across the country, congested public spaces like public transit have given rise to concern about the possibility of the virus being spread in tight enclosed areas.

But, area public transit providers from Washington State Ferries to King County Metro to Pierce Transit are all taking steps to protect commuters and minimize transmission of the virus.

With King County's count of coronavirus infections reaching 39, and its death toll climbing to 10, Washington State Ferries said Wednesday in a press release commuters can rest assured its vehicles are cleaned and disinfected regularly.

The release states that, even before the COVID-19 outbreak began, the ferry service's vessels are cleaned before each scheduled departure, including wiping down tables and seats, scrubbing bathroom sinks and faucets and disinfecting all surfaces.

The service said its other facilities are cleaned regularly as well.

"Our terminal facilities are also routinely cleaned, including bathrooms, counters, and ticket kiosks," Washington State Ferries said in the statement.

According to the statement, some passengers have enquired about physical money and passes exchanged with tollbooth staff.

Because not every terminal provides wireless or hands-free ticket scanning, it's not possible to entirely avoid handling money and passes. Instead, the WFS recommends passengers follow the CDC's recommended hygiene practices including regularly washing hands and using hand sanitizer.

A few other common sense measures can help prevent the spread of the disease as well, according to the CDC.

While in congested public spaces, the CDC recommends each person maintain a distance of six feet between himself and another person.

"Please be assured that WSF is working very closely with the Washington State Department of Health, Emergency Management, and local agencies to make sure that we have the latest information and expert guidance on how to minimize coronavirus exposure," WSF said in a statement.

But Washington's ferry service isn't the only public transit agency on high alert for COVID-19.

Patch reported Monday King County Metro asked transit riders to alert the agency about any health hazards spotted aboard a bus.

"If you see something that needs attention please alert your driver, a transit employee, or relay the four-digit bus number to customer service staff at 206-553-3000, or via Twitter @kcmetrobus," the agency said in a news release.

According to the earlier report, Metro cleans its fleet of buses and water taxis daily and removes a bus from service to be disinfected when it's found to be in an "unsanitary condition."

Pierce Transit also announced recently it's tracking the progress of the virus and working with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department maintain health and prepare to act moving forward.

Although Pierce Transit cleans and disinfects its buses at least once each a day, the transit provider said it is stepping up its cleaning efforts by adding extra cleanings and focusing on disinfecting high touch areas like handrails and grab bars.

"In the event of an unsanitary condition on a bus, we remove it from service and deep clean and disinfect it before returning it to service. If you see something that needs attention, please alert your driver or call Pierce Transit’s Customer Services office at 253.581.8000, option 1, 1.," Pierce Transit said in the release.

Today, Pierce Transit's routes are running as scheduled. In the event services change, commuters can be alerted by signing up online.

Similar to other public transit services in the area, Amtrak Cascades is working to ensure touch points on its trains are disinfected regularly in addition to providing a daily cleaning for each train.

A Washington State Department of Transportation spokesperson said the department has been working closely with public health officials since the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in Washington in January.

Amtrak Cascades encourages its employees, passengers and even the general public to practice good hygiene as recommended by the CDC and leave at least a six foot space between each person to prevent the spread of the virus.

"If you're sick or don't feel well, please stay home," the spokesperson said.

Monitor the latest information on COVID-19 in Washington and across the United States:

• Public Health Seattle-King County
• Snohomish County Health District
• Washington State Department of Health
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Patch editor Nick Garber contributed to this report