If you’re paying the slightest attention to the coronavirus pandemic, then you’ll have heard of the term ‘social distancing’. This refers to the technique of maintaining a healthy physical distance between you and others around you. While our understanding of the virus at the moment is quite weak, we do know that it spreads from one person to another through the air, at a distance of around six feet.
While there’s no way of guaranteeing that you won’t contract the virus when you’re in close contact with others (or, worse, spread it to other people) there are a few simple steps you might take to limit the risk.
We should note here that limiting the risk is essential to prevent the virus from infecting exponential numbers of people. Viruses have what’s called a basic reproduction number, referred to as the R rating. It describes how many people a carrier infects on average. If the R is more than one, then the virus spreads. If it is less, then the virus dies out. Measles, for example, has an R rating in the tens. Covid-19 has an R-rating somewhere between 1.5 and 3.5. Anything that can be done to limit the spread, therefore, will help to keep the virus under control.
On the train, there are several ways to do this.
Maintain a distance
Now is the time to respect the personal space of those around you. Maintain a prudent distance of at least six feet. This isn’t always possible, especially given that so many of us are still going to work via train. Limit your exposure to the greatest degree possible. Whether you’re travelling from Norwood Junction to London Bridge, or you’re heading on a longer journey, you’ll need to minimise your contact by keeping people at a distance of around six feet.
Avoid touching surfaces
Handrails which have been grabbed by thousands of commuters are not a particularly wise thing to be touching in the present climate. The same goes for the buttons on trains and buses. While the coronavirus isn’t thought to be able to last for very long on surfaces, there’s little reason to expose yourself to risk.
Cough into your elbow
The overwhelming majority of people who cough do not have Covid-19. But it doesn’t hurt to be sure. Plus, coughing in the open air, or into people’s faces, is pretty disgusting even if there weren’t an emergency going on. By coughing into your elbow, you’ll reduce the risk of spreading the disease.
Wash your hands
The moment you finish your commute, you should wash your hands with soap and warm water for twenty seconds – which, if you time it, will feel like a very long time indeed. Still, it’ll ensure that any germs you picked up along the way don’t find their way into your mouth.
