Staying safe on transit, and holding our leaders accountable

Good morning! As of today masks are no longer being required on public transit, and reports in Metro Vancouver are beginning to indicate an increase in non-masked passengers.

Here are some quick tips to stay safe on public transit while those around you may be taking fewer precautions:

• Wear a higher-grade mask. (such as an N-95, KN-95, KF-94, or FFP-2 respirator). The Public Health Agency of Canada has recommended the use of N-95s since November of last year.
• Open some windows. This will reduce the opportunity for COVID spread by improving ventilation, and has been recognized by the TTC in Toronto as a way to do that. Make sure to dress warmly! If your route uses vehicles that do not have opening windows (such as highway coach or double-decker buses), consider switching to a different route.
• Wait for a less crowded vehicle. In some cities such as in Metro Vancouver, bus and train lines come very frequently. If the first vehicle that arrives is very crowded, a less crowded one may be only a few minutes away. On bus corridors with both local and express services, the local stopping services may be less used (and thus less crowded).
• Stay home if you are sick. Obtain a COVID rapid antigen test (tests are now available at pharmacies to those 50+, and will soon be available to younger age groups; they may also be obtainable through other channels such as universities and schools).

Unfortunately, TransLink and B.C. Transit have both declined to implement their own mask mandatory rules, despite that they are technically able to do so. I am disappointed that these organizations have not recognized the merits of a continued mask mandate.

I encourage you to let these organizations know what you think by submitting feedback through the following channels:

• TransLink—Feedback Form
• TransLink—at the Board Meeting on March 24 (you can apply to speak at the board meeting)
• BC Transit—Contact Form (enter your city name and you will be presented a form to submit a message)

In addition, both organizations have made clear that they are acting on the direction of the provincial health officer (Dr. Bonnie Henry), who said yesterday that she does not consider transit to be a high-risk setting (despite that other provinces and the United States still consider transit to be high-risk).

Dr. Bonnie Henry is registered with the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPSBC) under the specialty of community medicine. If you disagree with her decision and feel it puts the community at risk, you have the right to file a complaint.

The CPSBC complaint form takes 5 minutes to fill out and can be downloaded here, and then submitted by mail, fax, or email: https://www.cpsbc.ca/public/complaints

I encourage you to take this step to hold her accountable for her actions, and for the consequences that we may be about to see.

Take care, and stay safe.

—Daryl