Pandemic Watch: Keeping it clean

I am thankful that when I walk into the gym my eyes are overwhelmed with signage informing me of its new policies to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The same situation exists in our stores and subways.

Similar material is found everywhere else, i.e., barbershops, parks and religious institutions. Hopefully, they stay open as the next rounds of closures are being determined. They are essential for our well being.

In most cases, the health club signs directing one to wipe off each machine before and after usage have always been present. Now they are more visible in both placement and amount placed. Social distancing is new. They even have social distancing signs at the sinks and urinals in the restrooms.

The Staten Island Ferry has social distancing signs noting where you can’t sit. I wish the subway did. While cleaner than ever before. In many cases, it is still every rider’s game. For the most part, people are following the rules concerning masks. People are trying to social distance. You still have your panhandlers. On Thanksgiving Day, I was on the “R” line from Forest Hills to Whitehall Street. For most of the ride, I was alone in the car. There’s nothing like a private subway ride. We had our one panhandler. She was asking for money to buy face cream. That was a new one. Usually, they say they need money to buy beer, cigarettes, coffee or a sandwich. We had our “entertainer.” She was dancing in the car and taking selfies with each step. She seemed to like to spin around the poles and grab the handrails. Imagine if we still had the straps? She could have had more fun.

The ferry terminal and Spirit of America vessel was empty. I spoke to a deckhand about the John F. Kennedy boat, which is being retired by year-end. A loss. It has been a reliable mode of transit since 1965. According to the deckhand still runs better than most of the other boats.

The cleanliness of these facilities, sites, etc., is great. But it does raise several questions. Around two decades ago, my mom was riding the ferry. Roaches were all over it. She called Staten Island Borough Hall. Mom was transferred to the “roach lady.” They had someone designated to handle these complaints. Thankfully this situation seems to have ended. The subway stations and cars have always been filthy. Not anymore. When riding the train, I now see MTA employees cleaning both the cars and stations. Plus an overnight shutdown is in effect to allow the MTA to super-sanitize.

The health clubs were generally clean. Of course, that also depends on whether the members do their part to keep it clean. Much of that is true with mass transit. Gym goers and riders must keep their area clean. In other words, people should have always been wiping down machines before and after use. We don’t need Covid-19 to smack that into our heads. Yes, there are still gym members who sweat all over the machines and walk away. Most are following the rules.

The containers from the food you wolfed down on the subway need to go in the receptacles in the station. Not the tracks. You might not get the chance to record a rat eating a slice of pizza and getting thousands of hits. Sure it made for entertaining news stories, t-shirts and NY moments. Hopefully, most would rather keep our environment cleaner and reduce the risk of disease.

Stay clean. Stay safe. Let’s work together to reduce the risk of our current pandemic and stop others in their tracks.

Prior posts are here.

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