How the COVID-19 is affecting travel/transport in CPT

From day-to-day public transport to air travel, these are the precautions being taken to ensure your safety

While some of us are lucky enough to be able to work from home in order to keep as safe as possible during the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), the majority of Cape Town’s citizens rely on public transport to get to work and back. While it’s business as usual for buses, taxis and trains, various measures are being implemented to ensure that commuters’ well-being is a priority.

And if you’ve bought a plane ticket recently, not to worry, local airlines are still operating, but you can expect strict hygiene precautionary measures throughout the airport. Plus, we have travel tips, and the lowdown on how to change your local flight and what’s happening with international travel restrictions.

BUSES WILL BE UPPING HYGIENE MEASURES

The City of Cape Town’s Transport Directorate advises commuters making use of public transport services to practice diligent personal hygiene while travelling. The City also recommends that commuters consider travelling outside of the peak-hour periods as far as possible to limit contact with other commuters and to avoid crowded vehicles. The City anticipates a decrease in passenger numbers over the next week, given the unexpected closure of all schools and universities. For those still using the MyCiTi bus service, several safety measures are being put in place:

• The City will provide hand sanitiser to commuters with a means to cleanse their hands when they board a MyCiTi bus. Given the shortage, this may take some time. In the meantime, bring your own along if you have.

• The City is increasing the frequency of the MyCiTi bus fumigation and cleaning practices – this will apply to the interior and exterior of the buses. The buses will also be wiped down on the inside after both the morning and afternoon peak-hour periods, on a daily basis.
• MyCiTi station personnel will seek to limit the number of standing passengers on the bus to half of the standing capacity. This is to allow for social distancing between passengers as far as possible.
•  The City will be monitoring the demand for the service, and if required, we will adjust the frequency of services accordingly.

“The new measures will be implemented in due course, and will be strictly monitored by the City,” said Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Alderman Felicity Purchase. “In the meantime, we advise passengers to please avoid full or overcrowded buses as your health and safety comes first. We suggest that you rather wait for another bus.”

According to Golden Arrow spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer, it will also be instituting a number of additional hygiene-related measures and will be assessing the situation continuously. She said the bus service will be issuing regular updates, but in the interim, it is prioritising the well-being of their staff and passengers.

MINIBUS TAXIS TO RAMP UP CLEANSING OPERATIONS

The City of Cape Town will also implement more regular deep cleansing operations at the PTIs and minibus-taxi facilities.

“Taxi drivers are reminded to have their taxis cleaned inside and out with a disinfecting liquid on a regular basis,” said Purchase.

In a recent statement during parliament, Department of Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said that they will engage the leadership of the taxi and bus industries to mount an aggressive information drive, working closely with the Department of Health on preventative measures in the public transport environment.

E-HAILING SERVICES AND METERED TAXIS

“We have been informed that various metered-taxi service providers have increased their vehicle cleaning efforts and have provided their drivers with hand sanitisers. Both the metered-taxi and e-hailing industry realise the significant change of behaviour the COVID-19 pandemic demands,” said Purchase.

TRAINS ARE BEING SANITISED

“Random testing measures will be implemented in the public transport environment, with particular emphasis on commuter rail,” said Mbalula.

Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott added that the region completed its preparedness assessment to limit or prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The assessment has been submitted to the Passenger Rail Agency of SA.

Mbalula said the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) and trains would undergo sanitisation processes, and that public transport users would be urged to practice social distancing.

AIR TRAVEL IS MOST AFFECTED

On 15 March, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation to outline the precautions the government is taking to prevent and mitigate the risk of the coronavirus.

President Ramaphosa announced a travel ban on high risk countries. “To limit contact between persons who may be infected and South African citizens,” he stated, “we are imposing a travel ban on foreign nationals from high-risk countries such as Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and China as from 18 March 2020.”

All VISA’s previously granted to visitors from those high-risk countries have been revoked with immediate effect and all non-essential international travel is prohibited.

Although there are no explicit travel bans for South African citizens, they are still “advised to refrain from all forms of travel to or through the European Union, United States, United Kingdom and other identified high-risk countries” until further notice.

Surveillance, screening and testing measures at OR Tambo, Cape Town and King Shaka International Airports will be strengthened. South Africans returning from medium or high-risk countries cannot be barred from re-entry. However, they will undergo an intense screening test upon arrival and all travellers are subject to self-isolation or quarantine on their return to South Africa.

ENTRY FROM MEDIUM-RISK COUNTRIES

Upon arrival from a medium-risk country such as Portugal, Hong Kong and Singapore, travellers will be allowed to enter but will be required to undergo a high-intensity screening.

Any travellers who have visited a medium or high-risk country since mid-February should present themselves for testing. If this applies to you, call the NICD helpline on 0800 029 999. Once in contact, they will advise you where the nearest public or private facility is for you to go to get tested. You can also call this number if you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus, or if you are experiencing a dry cough, fever, and fatigue.

HYGIENE AND SAFETY AT CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Commercial airlines and airports have introduced preventative measures promoting personal hygiene. Cape Town International Airport has implemented the following measures to intensify hygiene control in its airport facilities:

• Strict disinfection procedures have been introduced particularly at arrival gates, buses and passenger facilitation areas. The number of hand sanitiser dispensers have increased and cleaning schedules have been updated for more frequent sterilisation of high contact surfaces.

• All front line staff have been supplied with protective respiratory masks and gloves to minimise the risk of infection.

WHAT AIRLINES ARE DOING TO HELP CURB THE SPREAD

Mango Airlines is allowing passengers to change flights and is waiving the fees, valid until 30 April, to help accommodate any apprehension surrounding the coronavirus.

FlySafair is offering flight changes, refunds on premium fare tickets and full refunds for flights purchased to connect to international flights. Find full details in the tweet below. They have also taken steps to implement a deep cleaning of all aircrafts every evening and quick sterilisations between flights.