Chatting with companions, answering calls on MRT 3 trains banned

MANILA, Philippines — Chatting with companions and answering calls while on a Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT 3) train are prohibited to prevent the release of droplets that may contain the latest coronavirus strain.

These new rules, which the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and MRT-3’s management announced in a tweet on Monday, came after the rail system’s operations were suspended due to an increase in COVID-19 cases among its personnel.

“The virus can be transmitted through the transfer of respiratory droplets produced by talking, coughing, sneezing. That’s  why we continuously remind passengers to always wear their face masks,” the tweet added in Filipino.

TINGNAN:

Ito ang mga karagdagang paalala para sa mga pasahero na sasakay sa MRT-3:

Upang maiwasan ang posibleng pagkalat at pagkahawa ng virus sa mga commuters, ipinagbabawal na ang pagsagot ng tawag sa cellphone ng mga pasahero at pagsasalita sa loob ng tren. pic.twitter.com/eYMnMCo7pp

— DOTr MRT-3 (@dotrmrt3) July 13, 2020

Maaari maging sanhi ng pagkahawa sa virus ang respiratory droplets na nanggagaling sa pagsasalita, pag-ubo at pagbahing kaya’t pinapaalalahanan din ang mga pasahero na panatilihing nakasuot ang face mask.

— DOTr MRT-3 (@dotrmrt3) July 13, 2020

Passengers are now also required to fill up a health declaration form while queueing up and should be submitted before the go through the turnstile.

Dagdag pa rito, magkakaroon na rin ng contact tracing sa mga pasahero, kung saan ay magbibigay ng health declaration forms ang MRT-3 sa mga pasahero.

Ibibigay ang form sa mga pasahero habang sila ay nakapila at bago pumasok sa turnstile area sa loob ng istasyon ng tren. pic.twitter.com/kN8SFfsVOI

— DOTr MRT-3 (@dotrmrt3) July 13, 2020

The MRT-3 management admitted before that it was finding it hard to do contact tracing with thousands of commuters coming into contact every day with 15 of the 202 coronavirus-positive employees working at ticket booths.

The rail system, which cuts through five cities along EDSA in Metro Manila, resumed operations on Monday, although with fewer employees with the absence of those who had tested negative for COVID-19.

/atm