Hubei to take virus prevention measures on public transport

As public transport gradually resumes in some cities of Hubei province, the epidemic prevention and control measures in the transportation sector will be in place to prevent possible spread of the novel coronavirus, a local transport official said on Saturday.

Cities in Hubei, including Yichang, Shiyan and Jingzhou, announced recently that public transport, such as taxis and buses, will be restored gradually and orderly based on local situation. The public transport in Wuhan, the provincial capital, will remain closed.

Zhu Hanqiao, director of the Department of Transportation of Hubei province, said that a guideline on the prevention and control of the virus in the transportation system was issued recently to ensure passengers' safety.

Everyone will have a QR code, the permit for taking bus. Each bus will have a security staff member, who will be in charge of checking the QR code and body temperature of passengers, according to Zhu.

The staff member will also be responsible for urging passengers to wear masks and not to walk around within the bus, as well as transferring passengers with a fever to related authorities, he said.

The bus load factor should stay no more than 50 percent, with passengers sitting dispersedly, he added.

Zhu said some spaces should be reserved in bus stations and within buses to facilitate quarantine measures by health authorities, and disinfection and ventilation measures will also be in place.