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Less barriers in public transport reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission —study
Less barriers in public transport reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission —study
A study conducted by the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) showed that less barriers in public transport vehicles will reduce the risk of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) transmission, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said Friday, Dec. 24.
DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña bared the results of the six-month project, which is funded by the DOST-Philippine Council for
Health Research and Development (PCHRD).
Led by Dr. Joel Maquiling of the ADMU, the study, “Modeling Embarkation-Disembarkation Behavior and Configuration Settings in Philippine Commuter Buses, Light Rail Transit, and Metro Rail Transit using Theoretical and Computational Fluid Dynamics as Analytical Tools in the Mitigation of SARS-CoV-2 Airborne Transmission,” was conducted from May to October 2021.
It sought to identify significant risks of disease transmission among passengers of buses, the Light Rail Transit (LRT), and the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), de la Peña said.
He said to analyze the risks in public transport, Maquiling’s team conducted 3D-simulations using a commuter bus, LRT-2 and MRT configurations.
"Results of the study show that the number of barriers and their arrangement greatly affect the airflow within thesethe vehicles. Barriers can be the seats with backrests, acetate or plastic barriers, and face shields, among others,” the DOST chief said in a taped report on Friday.
"Accordingly, current LRT and MRT configurations, where seats are arranged at the sides and passengers face each other, are found to cause better airflow within the vehicle compared to the current commuter bus setup. This arrangement also reduces the number of seats and limits the maximum passenger capacity.”
De la Peña said aside from barriers, additional inlets or outlets in the vehicles configured in an alternating open-closed-open manner will enhance the airflow and flush out any agents of infectious disease, like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
“The project team also highlights the importance of wearing face masks that perfectly fit the face, instead of using barriers of any form, which may also trap viral loads of SARS-CoV-2.”
The results of the study may be used to guide concerned government agencies and policy makers in designing and implementing policies and guidelines; to guide transportation engineers in reconfiguring vehicles; and to serve as a guide for Filipino commuters to mitigate the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the local transport system.
Data generated from the study may also be utilized by medical or health-related businesses in designing, fabricating, and implementing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for commuters.