GREENSBORO, N.C. — The coronavirus and the flu season have rideshare services like Uber and Lyft going the extra mile to protect riders against germs.
Several rideshare drivers in the Triad say passengers should have nothing to fear. That's because drivers say they too are doing more to curb the spread of seasonal germs as health and government officials take precautions against any possible spread of coronavirus.
"I keep a little box in my vehicle just for different things that even customers and passengers may need, one being my Lysol wipes," said Rhonitta Hayes, a rideshare driver in Greensboro.
Rideshare drivers can take more than a dozen trips on any given day and may come into contact with even twice that amount of people, going in and out of their car.
Often times, they never know where their passengers are traveling from or what germs they've tracked into the car.
Rideshare drivers are doing a little extra cleaning as travel bans and restrictions remain in place. That's because people are cutting their trips short while returning from abroad over concerns about the coronavirus.
"I definitely do it more often instead of a couple of times a day. I try to do it between every customer," said Margaret Darling of Greensboro.
Along with Hayes, Darling is also one of the Triad drivers who have stocked up on cleaning and hygiene products in her car. She has also been politely asking passengers to use hand sanitizers when they enter her vehicle.
She does a lot of trips between airports like Piedmont Triad International to Raleigh-Durham International, and Charlotte-Douglas International. Riders on such trips can spend upwards of an hour in her car. She says her car is always clean and she has always cleaned regularly regardless but she is now additionally particular about wiping after every single trip. She has hand sanitizer in each door and only ran out of her Clorox wipes the previous night. She planned to get a new box before her first trip of the day.
Darling and Hayes said they are wiping down the car windows, seat belts, and headrests frequently and or after each passenger.
"Even the doors, everything that someone would come into contact with I try to make sure it's clean and just move all over the car," said Hayes as she demonstrated how she does a round of cleaning with her anti-bacterial wipes.
The drivers say it's not just the passengers they are worried about.
"You have to worry about your own health because if you can't work, you can't make money. We are such a mobile society that we're everywhere if we're not flying were driving. So, I think everybody should do their part," added Darling.
The Piedmont Triad Airport Authority is also stepping up its cleaning game. Now when you travel through PTI, you'll also notice more staff wiping down handrails on escalators, cleaning door handles, sanitizing baggage claim areas and disinfecting seats at gate areas. The Airport Authority told WFMY News 2 that it is taking these measures to reduce the risk of the coronavirus being spread on public surfaces at the airport as travelers pass through.
Such areas are referred to as "touchpoints" which are common areas where the virus could be picked up by touch.
According to a spokesperson for PTI, Airport staff began taking these precautions several weeks ago when the first reports of the coronavirus surfaced.
"At that time, operations personnel began stocking sanitizing chemicals and scheduling additional staff to perform the extra cleaning duties. In addition to following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control, the airport operations staff is coordinating efforts with other public institutions, Cone Health, and the Guilford County Health Department," said Kimberly Hodges.
Airport officials are holding meetings, monitoring public health efforts and keeping track of places where the disease has been detected.
The Airport Authority is also encouraging passengers to follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control to help prevent the spread of this respiratory disease.
These everyday habits that can help prevent the spread of several viruses. include:
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
FACTS NOT FEAR
Remember facts, not fear when talking about the coronavirus. You should take the same measures recommended by health leaders to prevent the spread of the flu and other viruses. That means washing your hands, avoiding touching your face, and covering coughs and sneezes.
WHERE YOU GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS IS IMPORTANT
It is important to make sure the information you are getting about the coronavirus is coming directly from reliable sources like the CDC and NCDHHS. Be careful not to spread misinformation about coronavirus on social media.
NC CORONAVIRUS HOTLINE
The state also has a special hotline set up where you can call 866-462-3821 for more information on the coronavirus. You can also submit questions online at ncpoisoncontrol.org or select chat to talk with someone about the virus.
You can also text keyword VIRUS to WFMY News 2 at 336-379-5775 to find out more information.
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