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24 MBTA employees have tested positive for coronavirus; workers now having temperatures taken before shifts
By adamg on Fri, 04/03/2020 - 1:56pm
MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak provides an update on the T. One of his key points: Only take the T if you're on essential business.
Every day we work to make our essential service safer for all who ride, maintain, and operate it during this public health crisis. We monitor ridership & adjust service levels based on the needs of our essential riders & employees. Learn more in this update from GM @spoftak pic.twitter.com/viBoZcGdQr
— MBTA (@MBTA) April 3, 2020
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Comments
Um...
Didn't I read somewhere that an asymptomatic person can shed virus? So, if temperature-taking is a screening mechanism, um, then they've been working for several days as positive before they start spiking a temp.
Yes, but
This is one of those "don't let perfect be the enemy of good" situations.
Until and unless there is a total shutdown of everything, the T needs function, and people are required to make that happen.
My company has been doing temperature checks at our North American sites for the last few weeks, and Asian/European sites since well before that. That is in addition to having non-essential people work from home, and keeping anyone with any hint of symptoms at home as well. It seems to be pretty effective so far, as there has not been any evidence of employee to employee transmission to my knowledge.
Agreed
I'm not sure exactly where this fits into CDC guidelines, but these guys are basically always in contact with (unknown) infected persons. Not sure how they would be able to quarantine the entire workforce for 14 days for every day of service operated.
Not really sure about that.
"This is one of those "don't let perfect be the enemy of good" situations."
"It seems to be pretty effective so far, as there has not been any evidence of employee to employee transmission to my knowledge."
Ok, so what you're saying is that according to your admittedly anecdotal knowledge, there has been no evidence of 'employee to employee transmission'.
Nice.
Here's the problem. The MBTA drivers aren't in an 'employee to employee' situation. They are in an 'employee to general public' situation. Much different.
The Stoppie, Stars and Big Y near me put up 'sneeze shields' almost instantly. So, what the MBTA has to do is this: Put up plastic barriers, hinged to allow mobility and protection from the public. Personal safety equipment, like anyone forcibly (hey, it's your job) has to wear. So, MBTA driver has a shield and a facepiece. That's protection.
Because, anecdotally speaking, spiking temps come after a positive and positive means you've been shedding the virus for a bit now.
It has nothing to do with perfection and adequate. It's testing for something that's days old when you can find it. That's just not good enough.
essential?
I go into our downtown Boston office once a week to process one of our services. With no traffic I am getting a ride in and back as it is faster than taking the T now. Nevertheless, I see a few people in our office who took the T. These people are not essential workers, but simply have either no computers at home or are otherwise unable to work from home, so they are required to come in a few days a week.
I find this unconscionable. The business will survive. In this time I think management of companies, while trying to keep the business going, should have, as their major goal, the purpose of getting as many employees through this period alive and healthy as possible.
There are many low income
There are many low income workers who cannot afford to drive that work essential jobs at health care facilities and food distribution locations. Some level of MBTA service needs to be maintained for those folks, or we will be in even bigger trouble than we already are.
I find it unconscionable...
... that people ride exhaust spewing private automobiles into urban areas when they can put on a mask and take public transportation.
unconscionable...
Well, aren't you special?
You clearly haven't had this bug. You also clearly don't care about anyone you have any contact with.
Of course, you seem pretty insufferable, so maybe contact with others isn't really an issue for you...
That's ridiculous. They
That's ridiculous. They should be given company laptops if they're expected to do computer-based work.
Internet access at home is a trickier problem, but not insurmountable. They can be given wifi hotspots.
God bless the workers
I have heard that several more workers from bus drivers to police officers are testing positive and sick time is growing by the day. A police officer told me that the only supplies they were given was a small bottle of sanitizer.
Boston Strong
And still they work. Bless you MBTA employees. You are truly essential workers.
Do I have to explain my comment again?