DETROIT – Detroit Department of Transportation bus drivers are increasingly pressuring the city to stop bus service during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The calls to halt service come just days after Jason Hargrove, a DDOT bus driver, died from the virus. Weeks earlier, Hargrove had posted a video complaining about a passenger coughing on a bus and urging people to take the illness seriously.
READ: Detroit bus driver, who was vocal about his job concerns, dies from COVID-19
“I’m terrified of getting it. I’m terrified of taking it home, and that’s not just me,” driver Gilbert Hampton said.
Drivers say they haven’t heard from the mayor’s office since they did a shutdown March 17 and things on the buses are back to how they used to be, but Mayor Mike Duggan contests that.
According to the mayor’s office, passengers are only boarding buses from the back, there are no fares so passengers and drivers don’t interact, and buses are sanitized several times a day.
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Duggan said that essential workers use the buses.
“You have a number of people who are doing essential jobs who can only get there because the buses are there,” Duggan said. “We need to make buses safe."
Duggan added that they were trying to get more masks for drivers.
Hampton said he has Lysol, masks and gloves.
“Every time someone coughs, I get paranoid,” he said. “To the mayor, I would say, ‘If you want us to help you, help save us so we can help save other people’s lives.’”
DDOT’s union president, Glenn Tolbert, said he is getting 170 calls a day about the situation. Tolbert has the virus, and said he will protect drivers if they stay home.
“If the members truly feel they are unsafe, then I need them to stay home and I will protect them,” he said.
Tolbert also added that it’s not just essential workers on the buses.
“Those are not just essential workers on those buses. Those are people riding up and down with no place to go,” he said.
MORE: What the CDC says you should do if you believe you have coronavirus (COVID-19)
How COVID-19 Spreads
Person-to-person spread
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
- Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
- Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
Can someone spread the virus without being sick?
- Spread is possible before people show symptoms. People who are not showing symptoms can still be carrying the virus and can still pass it on to other people.
Spread from contact with contaminated surfaces or objects
It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
How easily the virus spreads
How easily a virus spreads from person-to-person can vary. Some viruses are highly contagious (spread easily), like measles, while other viruses do not spread as easily. Another factor is whether the spread is sustained, spreading continually without stopping.
Prevention & Treatment
There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
Click here for more guidelines from the CDC.
People who think they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should contact their healthcare provider immediately.
Question about coronavirus? Ask Dr. McGeorge here.