aprilmay2021 - 6

EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK

Good-Bye Hygiene Theater? Maybe Not.
The CDC has revised its guidance on cleaning surfaces in the fight against
COVID-19, but how will this guidance impact rider comfort levels?

he Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated its guidance concerning the surface transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. The CDC recognizes the principal way people are infected with
COVID-19 " is through exposure to respiratory droplets carrying infectious virus. "
The CDC says it is possible for people to be infected through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects, but says the risk is " generally considered to be low. "

CDC has determined washing your hands was a more effective preventative measure than a once
or twice a day surface disinfection.
Those in opposition to the aggressive cleaning routines adopted by many transit agencies during
the health crisis called for the end of what they have dubbed " hygiene theater. "
Derek Thompson, a staff writer for The Atlantic and a vociferous opponent of hygiene theater,
recently wrote: " The CDC's announcement should be curtains for theatrical deep cleanings. But until
companies, transit authorities, retailers and magazines embrace the value of scientific discovery and
the joy of learning new things, the show, and the soap, will go on. "
Point made, albeit in an arrogant and condescending way. Most of the people who make up the
groups listed are professions with various degrees of expertise, but the majority of them are not epidemiologists or other infectious disease experts. Decisions are made with the best information of the
moment and in a situation, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, where shifting of guidance is a regular
occurrence, and the ability to remain flexible and nimble have
become synonymous with survival.
Science-backed
While the CDC's new guidance encourages a focus on air filtraguidance is key but tion over surface cleaning to limit the spread of the COVID-causconsistency in that ing virus, what it does not address is what those cleanings do to
fight other surface contaminates. Nor does the guidance address
guidance is vital to the " soft science " of psychology regarding riders' comfort levels in
ensuring agencies returning to transit.
Last August, Via conducted a survey of nearly 600 of its riders
can both honor the
in various cities, to gauge their trust in transit. At the time of the
science while meeting survey, more than 84 percent of respondents said they would be
rider expectations. somewhat or entirely comfortable riding a bus one year in the
future (August 2021). When asked what features would be a strict
requirement for riders to use public transit, the top three were
enforcement of social distancing, daily cleaning and mandatory
masks for riders.
Transit agencies are stretching their funding in a multitude
of ways to meet the challenge of this pandemic. Science-backed
guidance is key but consistency in that guidance is vital to ensuring
agencies can both honor the science while meeting rider expectations.

Mischa Wanek-Libman, Editor
 mwanek@masstransitmag.com  224-324-8532  linkedin.com/in/mischawaneklibman

Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | APRIL/MAY 2021

http://www.linkedin.com/in/mischawaneklibman http://www.MassTransitmag.com

aprilmay2021

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