February 13, 2020, 04:59 PM
One private hire driver was recently spotted taking the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) situation very seriously.
Protective shield
In a photo posted to Facebook group SG Kay Poh, the driver has clearly taken safeguarding his and his passengers' safety into his own hands.
Most drivers might wear a mask, or have some disinfectant handy.
But this driver took it to the next level by setting up a full divider separating him from his passenger(s).
The plastic divider encircles the driver's seat and separates him from the front and back passenger seats.
The driver even taped handy signs urging his passengers to wear masks to protect themselves and others, given the current "emergency crisis".
Here's a picture of whole setup.
Photo from SG Kay Poh / FB
Netizens' reactions
The post, which has garnered over 800 shares, has drawn a varying range of comments.
Some Facebook users criticised the driver for being paranoid, saying he should "stay at home if [he is] so afraid".
Others pointed out that the virus could still be transmitted between driver and passenger as the air in the vehicle is still being circulated via a single air conditioning unit.
It should be noted however, that Covid-19 is spread via droplets or physical contact, and is not airborne.
Others commended the man for simply trying to protect himself and his passengers.
The image was also posted to the r/Singapore subreddit, with some applauding the man for being responsible.
They explained that the man might have kids or elderly parents, and ensuring his own safety was particularly important if he was the sole breadwinner.
Currently, a taxi driver and a private hire driver are among the 50 confirmed cases in Singapore.
Drivers, including taxi drivers and private hire drivers are one group of people rather susceptible to contracting the virus. This is especially so considering the large number of passengers they ferry every day within a close proximity.
To protect its drivers, Grab has also suspended its GrabShare services for an indefinite period from Feb. 9 onwards.
Top photo from SG Kay Poh / FB
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