Media Release: Environmental Health Practitioners and Firefighters roll out more COVID-19 awareness at taxi-ranks

For Immediate Release
8 December 2020

Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) from Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) recently again embarked on awareness activities at taxi ranks in all municipal areas of the district in an effort to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 amongst passengers, the elderly, vulnerable community members and communities in general. The initiative took place from 30 November to 4 December 2020.

As part of awareness sessions, GRDM EHPs and Firefighters from the GRDM and local municipalities in the region currently also focus on disinfection of public places and premises where people gather on a frequent basis – taxi ranks are included during these sessions. Although taxi ranks and mini-bus taxis are allowed to operate, taxi rank areas must be cleaned frequently with soap and water or detergents during their operating hours, as well as after it.  These activities will protect taxi drivers and passengers from contracting the virus. Added to the cleansing activities, drivers of mini-bus taxis are not allowed to permit any member of the public access to a taxi, if such a person is not wearing a mask. Passengers, drivers, guards and rank attendants must at all times wear a mask.

Any person can become infected with COVID-19 if they touch contaminated surfaces and then their face, eyes, nose or mouth or if they have come in close contact with persons who are infected.

Do the following:

Wipe down the surfaces at the taxi ranks with a diluted bleach solution (6 teaspoons of bleach in 1 litre water) while the rank is in use.

Steps to clean the outside of the minibus taxi:

• Wash the minibus taxi daily with soap and water; and
• Disinfect with a diluted bleach solution (6 teaspoons of bleach in 1 litre water -it is important to always wear gloves when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces).

Steps to clean the inside of the minibus taxi:

• Wipe the door handles thoroughly, as well as window ledges and seats with diluted bleach solution (6 teaspoons of bleach in 1 litre water).
• Leave windows open.

Precautionary measures:

• Passengers waiting in queues must keep a distance of 1.5m from the next person. Use the markers as a guide and avoid contact with other passengers.
• Individual passengers must not open the taxi doors, as the taxi door must be left open while waiting for passengers.
• Passengers are encouraged to limit contact with hand rails, vehicle doors etc.
• Only the attendant is allowed to open and close doors when picking up passengers along the route.
• Spray passengers’ hands with 70% alcohol–based hand sanitisers to clean their hands before they enter the minibus.
• The driver or attendant must rub their hands for 20 seconds with alcohol-based hand sanitiser after taking money from each commuter and request passengers to pay exact taxi fares if possible to limit contact with attendants and money.
• Although 100 % of the licensed capacity is allowed if not a long distanced trip, passengers have to sit as far from each other as possible. Long-distance trips are limited to carry 70% of the licensed capacity of the taxi.
• Windows must be kept open to allow fluid droplets to escape in case a passenger coughs or sneezes during the trip.
• Door handles must be sanitised, as well as windows ledges and seats, after each trip.
• The entire inside of the vehicle must be cleaned with soap or usual cleaning materials and must be disinfected at least twice a day.

ENDS