Friends, colleagues, and relatives are asking if they can ride in a cab safely during a pandemic or when the number of new daily covid cases are low in the locality they live in. The answer lies in the statement – Follow CAB to ride a cab.
CAB is nothing but Covid Appropriate Behaviour that comprises of masking, distancing, and handwashing (or handsanitising) which should continue until government authorities declare that they are no more required.
Remember, the pandemic is still on.
Masks should be worn while in closed rooms (that includes a cab) and in crowded open places where physical distancing is not possible. Ideally, avoid any place where physical distancing is not possible.
Do not share the cab with anyone, especially a stranger. When a cab is not shared with anyone, it allows for physical distancing.
Handwashing is not available while in a cab, but hands must be sanitised as appropriate using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Keeping one window open by just 3 inches reduces the aerosol build up by 1/10th.
An additional suggestion that helps – keeping one window open by 3 inches is immensely useful. According to a Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health research, in a car ride of 72 minutes with an infected passenger coughing every 3 minutes, keeping one window open by just 3 inches reduced the aerosol build up by 1/10th.
When the aerosol build up is reduced to 1/10th the risk of getting covid is reduced. No risk can be completely eliminated – attempt should be to reduce it to ALARP (as low as reasonably practicable).
Just because someone who travelled in a cab without following these precautions and did not get covid doesn’t mean future travels would be as lucky and uneventful.
Viruses mutate, fully vaccinated people do get covid, and the pandemic is not yet over – wisdom is to follow precautions and be safe than be sorry!
So, if you are taking a cab next time make sure you keep one window open by 3 inches, continue wearing the mask, and avoid sharing the cab with anyone, especially a stranger. These 3 things make riding in a cab much safer than otherwise.
And of course, it doubly helps if both the driver and the rider are fully vaccinated, though it is not an excuse to not follow the above.
For more information, individuals, MSMEs and large corporations may contact
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Dr Ajay Sati is an Occupational Health physician who prefers to describe himself as an Occupationist, to denote, ‘an expert in diseases and other concerns of occupations’. Dr Sati has managed health and wellness programs in industries he worked, like the atomic energy, and energy (oil & gas) in India and overseas. He was involved in many greenfield and brownfield projects providing inputs from health point of view. Known for SOPs and protocols, he is currently involved with an energy MNC in designing protocols to support employees during the covid pandemic, and protocols to safely reopen offices and plants.
