Sejal Mehta (name changed), takes a train from East Ham at 6:30 am every morning. She travels to Pimlico for work. She duly wears a mask and covers herself up because her job involves taking care of a baby. When she reaches her work place where she also helps in cooking, Sejal changes into new clothes as an added precaution.
On her way to work on June 1, she hardly spotted 10 people on the tube. They maintained social distancing protocol and there wasn’t any apprehension about traveling back then. However, on July 1, when most parts of the UK started to re-open, the rush on the tube was back to normal. Only this time, Sejal feared people who weren’t wearing masks. There was no social distancing at all, she exclaimed. “There was a mad rush and this time no one was standing a foot apart. There was an elderly British woman (must have been in her 80s) who ended up scolding a European on the tube who refused to wear a mask despite repeated requests from the co-passengers. He laughed at her, mocked her, while she continued to express her fear that because of him she might contract the coronavirus since she was much older in age and more vulnerable.”
“Most people only wear masks when the train enters underground because that’s where the checking starts. The moment they step out on the station platform, some of them take off their masks instantly, which is so wrong,” she said.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan tweeted on Tuesday morning: “Face coverings will be compulsory in shops, including supermarkets, from 24 July. This is the right move (and one I've been lobbying the Govt to make for months) but why the PM is delaying on this is beyond me. Londoners: please, wear a face covering.” To which a user Gadgetman (@Jaydeeman2009) replied, “Yes this should have happened months ago..and why not immediately. However there needs to be some proper deterrent and enforcing. In London I would say 50% aren't fully complying on transport and enforcement is non existent. Shambles!!!”
Tanya Kapoor (name changed on request) lives in Central London, and has been working from home during the entire pandemic so far. She has a one year old daughter who hasn’t stepped out in months because children less than three years old cannot wear masks and she doesn't want to risk stepping out at the cost of being vulnerable to the virus. The couple has mutually decided to minimise use of public transport unless it’s essential or urgent. She has been ordering everything online and taking a cab to travel if at all they need to. “I’m really happy how London has considerably changed its online delivery system. From grocery to clothes, I’m receiving my packages within a day. Earlier they used to arrive after a minimum of three to four days. We thankfully have the luxury to afford a cab and not opt for the tube or buses. I’m not sure how people who’ve lost their jobs in the pandemic or have no other option, are managing in these tough times,” she said. She suffered from gestational diabetes so Tanya feels she’s more vulnerable to catch the virus. An online report says, “
The apprehension to take public transport hasn’t hit everyone the same way though. Musab Iqbal, a lecturer at the University of Westminster said, “I traveled a couple of weeks ago to Cambridge. I took the bus and train. You have to have a mask otherwise you cannot enter the bus. I felt ok traveling.” He said some people are flouting rules, but most of them are following it, wearing masks and maintaining appropriate distance.
In a report published by City AM, Claire Mann, TfL’s director of bus operations, said: “We are trialling a range of temperature testing equipment for drivers and staff at a number of our bus garages to see if they can play a role in our commitment to protect our staff and customers during the pandemic.”
Bus drivers in the UK have been among the most at risk categories of coronavirus victims, with 26.4 deaths per 100,000 drivers. Meanwhile, TfL said it is testing the use of UV light cleaning on Tube handrails, following reports that UV radiation damages the genetic material of the virus and its ability to reproduce.
However, current advice remains that people should avoid public transport unless their journey is essential, which could present difficulties for commuters who rely on London’s Tube and buses to get to work.
