BART Takes Steps to Prepare For and Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus

On Monday afternoon,  Bay Area transit officials will hold a press conference to discuss actions taken by transit agencies to prepare for and prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

SFMTA, BART and AC Transit leaders will outline how they are working to protect riders and employees through the coronavirus outbreak and will address concerns and questions of the travelling public.   BART will continue to provide updates on their website with any new information or tips that come out of the press conference.

According to BART,  staff is taking necessary action to prepare for the potential spread of Coronavirus.  We monitor Coronavirus developments on a daily basis and receive frequent updates from local, state, and federal public health agencies and local jurisdictions.

BART, along with all other transit systems, is taking guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and public health departments.  These experts advise us that operational changes are not necessary at this time. However, we stand ready to make changes if the situation changes.

According to the CDC, “for the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus at this time, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low.”

The District has taken the following preparedness actions:

• Station Cleaning: We are wiping down hand-contact surfaces with hospital-grade disinfectant more frequently each day.
• Train Car Cleaning: We are wiping down handrails and stanchion with germicidal wipes at end-of-line stations.  We continue our regular car cleaning, responding immediately to urgent messes and biohazards, and the scheduled “thorough clean” disinfecting process, including BART to Antioch cars.  As coronavirus spreads into our communities we want our riders to know that BART is a safe way to travel and that if riders practice good hygiene it will help provided safeguards in between our stepped-up cleaning cycles.
• Customer Communication:  Multi-lingual posters provided by public health officials with tips about protecting against the flu and coronavirus are being displayed in stations for public view.  The following message has been programed to run on the plaform digital signs and was sent out in a service advisory via email, text, and Twitter: BART is working to prevent the spread of coronavirus by wiping down hand-contact surfaces with hospital-grade disinfectant more frequently each day. Please cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Thank You.
• Employee Communication:  Good personal hygiene posters have been distributed and posted at employee work locations.  Staff has been provided self-quarantine guidance for employees who have recently traveled to a Level 3 Travel Health Notice Countries which currently are China, Iran, Italy, and South Korea .  BART employees are being kept up to date on personal hygiene and preventive measures recommended by the CDC. This includes how CDC does not currently recommend the use of face masks for those who are not sick.  Procurement has ensured current inventories of PPE such as disinfectants, hand sanitizers, face masks for positions that require them, and hand wipes are currently adequately stocked in our warehouses. BART staff has formed an internal task force that is meeting regularly and is dialed into the updates and recommendations coming from local, state, and federal public health officials. We’ve developed an emergency response plan and contingencies if the situation escalates.
• Procurement Activity: Staff has ensured current inventories of PPE such as disinfectants, hand sanitizers, face masks for positions that require them, and hand wipes are currently adequately stocked in our warehouses. Hand sanitizer dispensers have already been disturbed to many work locations and will continue to be delivered to all locations.

Get accurate information about Coronavirus and prevention at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

Current prevention tips include:

• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
• Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others.

(This article was originally published Feb. 25, 2020 and is being updated frequently)