March 7: On-board announcements, Coronavirus update, resources
As you ride King County Metro service, you will now hear onboard announcements reminding you to please take steps advised by Public Health – Seattle & King County to protect yourself and the community from the spread of novel coronavirus.
“Welcome aboard. Metro buses are disinfected daily. Help keep yourself and others healthy. Don’t travel if you are sick. Cover your cough or sneeze. Avoid touching your face. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Thank you for riding.”
We appreciate all efforts by the public to follow these guidelines. At Metro, we continue to coordinate with Public Health as they monitor novel coronavirus and COVID-19. Currently, we are operating service as scheduled to connect you with the important destinations in your life.
For further information, please see the Metro Matters blog under coronavirus and media coverage of our upgraded disinfecting protocols.
Health Resources
- Facts and news about novel coronavirus / COVID-19 (Public Health – Seattle & King County)
- Common questions about novel coronavirus / COVID-19 (Public Health – Seattle & King County)
- Do you have a confirmed case or suspected case of COVID-19? Here’s what you should do. (Public Health – Seattle & King County)
- “My loved ones are at high risk for coronavirus. Time to make some plans.”
(Public Health Insider, March 5, 2020) - Additional updates are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH)
Tribal Chairman’s Health Board COVID-19 Resources; Interested in volunteering your services? It is highly unlikely that people can contract COVID-19 from food or food packaging. COVID-19 is a respiratory illness and the primary transmission route is through person-to- person contact and through direct contact with respiratory droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
This is good. It also shows, once the virus is gone, how easy it should be to add necessary on-board announcements to help riders transfer between routes. As Metro evolves more toward a frequent grid instead of a hub and spoke model, transfers get more important. It’s also a chance to promote the frequent transit routes we’ve spent so much time, money, and effort building up.
“Next stop, N 155th Street. Transfer for Route 330”.
“Next stop, N 85th Street. Transfer for frequent Route 45”.