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Around Town
August 25, 2021 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com
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Metro Transit has maintained service during the pandemic in spite of many logistical challenges.
‘MOVING’ from cover And to continue meeting the safety needs of riders during the pandemic Metro Transit has increased the frequency of cleaning as well as instituted varied means of sanitizing vehicles. “Back in March of this year, we started using a new, cutting-edge sanitizer that focuses on antimicrobial technology to keep our trains, buses and vans free from harmful germs,” Roach states. “The microbe shield it creates can protect our riders and our team members from pathogens for up to 30 days.” Riders are helping public transit keep the transit experience safe by complying with the federal mask mandate. “The majority of our riders are compliant. They understand masks and vaccines help protect all of us,” Roach explains. The mask mandate from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for Metro Transit consumers and operators has been in effect since May of 2020 and will continue into next year until Jan.
18, 2022. In the near future riders will be able to get masks from a dispenser on Metro Transit vehicles and MetroLink stations. The CMT will also partner with Metro Transit, St. Clair County Transit District, Bureau of Transit Police and Metro Transit Public Safety on Aug. 26 for an event where masks were given out during rush hour and commuters were reminded about the importance of wearing masks. The event serves as, “an opportunity to educate riders about Citizens for Modern Transit’s free Guaranteed Ride Home Program and encourage them to register,” Cella explains. The experience of public transit riders has been a collective effort between operators and consumers with transit workers having to highly adjust to meet the demands of the pandemic. “We see our Metro Transit operators (MetroBus, MetroLink and Metro Call-A-Ride) and their transit service managers as heroes,” says Roach. They have been out on the front line for 18 months now during the entire COVID-19 pandemic.
COMMUNITY VOICES
By Angela Clabon
Fighting COVID-19 is a community effort The COVID-19 virus is again a significant threat to public health. Missouri, Florida and Texas accounted for 40% of all new COVID-19 cases nationwide, and all three states have lower than average vaccination rates. The Delta variant is more transmissible and likely to affect children. Medical officials are reporting an increase in hospitalizations of children in critical condition with COVID. The defense among the unvaccinated is that they have a choice in taking the vaccine. Fine. You do have a choice. The unvaccinated also seem to have the biggest gripe about wearing a mask, so tell us, what’s the solution? Most recently, my seven-year-old grandson contracted COVID-19 from a family member who lied about being vaccinated. Now his ten-year-old sister also tested positive for COVID. I babysit my grandchildren.
Fortunately, I am fully vaccinated and have not tested positive for COVID. My grandchildren have experienced fever, aching and a loss of appetite. It angers me because my grandchildren did not have the choice of vaccination. They are too young to receive the Pfizer vaccine available to anyone over the age of 12. Children have protection from the virus by the vaccinated adults who wear masks and use social distancing strategies. Be honorable. If you did not get vaccinated, protect us all by following the simple precautionary steps. Choices come with responsibility and consequences. In this case, the black community loses. Don’t’ look for any more shutdowns because it’s not happening. It’s too costly for businesses. The black community will once again experience the most significant impact. Our vaccination rates are much lower, and our people will die from COVID-19. What is the solution if following these sim-
ple strategies doesn’t work for you? I encourage you to get vaccinated or follow the guidelines to protect us all. Wear your mast, practice social distancing as much as possible and quarantine yourself as needed. CareSTL Health offers vaccinations daily at four locations. Call to make a vaccination appointment at 314-367-5820 or visit carestlhealth.org. The responsibility is yours. Angela Clabon is the Chief Executive Officer of CareSTL Health. A native of St. Louis, Clabon obtained a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Missouri, and later obtained a master’s degree in business administration from Webster University. She has dedicated over 33 years to the health care movement in the city of St. Louis.
