For some days now, more than 16 million Chileans have been confined after Ministry of Health authorities decreased mass quarantines to stop the Covid-19’s advance in the country. Other measures taken were the closure of borders and the airport, and the limitation of intra-regional transfers.
However, there is a group of people who, either by work or emergency, must move from region to region, with intercity buses being today one of the options to make these trips. In response, Simon Narli, co-founder of the Recorrido.cl ticketing platform, explains that “bus companies have continued to operate, adopting new biosecurity and healthcare control technology. Today, however, it is essential that passengers comply with sanitary measures to prevent increased contagion.”
What are the care people should take when traveling by bus?
1.- Passages: Due to mobilization restrictions and to prevent contagion in bus terminals “it is best to buy tickets through applications or web pages, which also allows you to have all the information at hand on your cell phone”, says Narli.
2.- Permits: In order to travel, passengers must have a series of permits and papers that allow them to cross the health cords. The first one they should have is the C19 health passport and declare that they have no symptoms of coronavirus and that they are not close contacts of someone infected. On the other hand, “you must have the safe conduct necessary to be able to travel around the country, either by work – with collective permission – with collective permission – move or emergency,” explained the co-founder of the platform.
3-. Health implements: Preventing contagion and outbreaks in bus travel is crucial. Therefore, people traveling should do so with all necessary implements such as double mask, face shield, alcohol or soap gel. In addition, follow the instructions of the bus staff at all times: take the temperature upon arrival and keep your distance during the trip.
4.- Look at the measures implemented by companies: To feel greater security during the trip, from Recorrido.cl they recommend that people be informed on the pages of companies about what measures they have taken. “Most already have technologies that prevent contagion, such as UV filters, that purify and sanitize air inside buses using UV-C light, or antimicrobial curtains that also function as room separators,” he said, adding that it is important to research and choose the companies that give the greatest security.
5.- Care in transfers: Finally, it is important that people take care in the transfer to the terminal or bus stop, as well as after descending to reach their destination.. In this sense, it is necessary to look at the route to be taken, choosing one that does not have much influx of public and personalized means of transport or, in the event that public transport is to be taken, to do so with all sanitary measures.
