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| DATE | 2020-12-15 |
| FROM | Ruben Safir
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| SUBJECT | Subject: [Hangout - NYLXS] The MTA as a WUHAN-19 Vector
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wsj.com
Does Covid-19 Spread on Buses, Subways? New York Aims to Find Out
Paul Berger
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Transit officials in New York are teaming up with the Department of
Homeland Security and Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study how
to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus on buses and trains.
If—and how much—the virus spreads on mass transit is a stubborn
question. Ridership is down in cities around the world largely due to
people working from home and businesses closing, but also because of
fear of contracting the virus.
Studies and reports this year have drawn conflicting conclusions about
the extent to which the virus spreads on mass transit. Some of the
studies have been conducted by economists and transit specialists who
don’t have expertise in the spread of viruses and other pathogens.
Researchers plan to release different types of water-based aerosols,
including those that mimic respiratory droplets which can be inhaled by
people within 6 feet of each other as well as tiny particles that can
travel further and linger in the air for hours. The studies will be
conducted on transit vehicles that are empty and not in service. They
will be carried out on vehicles in their normal state as well as on
those with doors and windows open and with enhancements to ventilation
and air-filtration systems. The study will be led by MIT’s Lincoln
Laboratory.
Mass transit ridership in New York has plummeted since the start of
coronavirus pandemic.
Photo: Frank Franklin II/Associated Press
Don Bansleben, a program manager at the DHS Science and Technology
Directorate, said it is clear that mass transit riders in the U.S. might
have been exposed to the virus by fellow riders. However, Mr. Bansleben
said, “I don’t believe there’s any definitive evidence that has shown
that public transportation is really a source of spreading the virus,
especially in large clusters of people.”
New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the largest transit
agency in the nation, carried about 8 million riders daily on the
subway, buses and two commuter rail systems before the pandemic. Its
operations are focused on New York City, which bore the brunt of the
coronavirus in the spring when tens of thousands of people died. Weekday
subway ridership currently is down about 70% compared with pre-pandemic
levels. Weekday commuter rail ridership is down between 75% and 80%.
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Meghan Ramsey, a researcher at the Lincoln Laboratory who is leading the
study, said the idea is to measure contamination in the air and on
surfaces to understand the relative risk of contracting the virus and
the efficacy of mitigation methods.
Mark Dowd, the MTA’s chief innovation officer, said the agency asked DHS
to conduct the study to determine scientifically whether the virus can
be transmitted on transit and how to mitigate any risks.
The emphasis in combating the virus that causes Covid-19 has shifted
during this year from surfaces to air quality. The shift came as the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in the early summer
that person-to-person interactions for extended periods, not surfaces,
are the leading cause of infections.
The project team says the tests are safe. The mock viral droplets being
released contain ingredients common in household products, such as
glycerol, which is found in soap, and fluorescent dye found in laundry
detergent. Nevertheless, the study is subject to an environmental
assessment and public comment period which begins Tuesday. Researchers
hope to start the study in late January or early February and to have
results by early spring.
A DHS spokeswoman, Anne Cutler, noted that the mitigation measures being
tested such as improvements to ventilation systems or opening windows
are simple and cheap. Ms. Cutler said the agency hopes lessons learned
from the study can be applied nationwide.
How the Coronavirus Pandemic Is Changing the Way We Commute
0:00 / 7:16
3:16
How the Coronavirus Pandemic Is Changing the Way We Commute
How the Coronavirus Pandemic Is Changing the Way We Commute
Traveling on trains and buses means potential exposure to the
coronavirus, so cities are racing to make their public transit systems
safe. WSJ explores how things like sanitizing robots, working from home
and expanded bike lanes are changing our commutes. Video/Illustration:
Jaden Urbi and Zoë Soriano
Write to Paul Berger at Paul.Berger-at-wsj.com
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