how to get to work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During 2020, the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, shortly renamed COVID or COVID-19, sent shockwaves across the globe. Fear of going out became prevalent for many and only during the later half of the year did the majority of people start looking at returning to work. It has to be said, some were still working throughout the pandemic with added precautions to stay safe at work, implementing different ways to commute. And over-time more and more workers have been looking at alternative methods to commute to work daily. We explore some of those in this article.
trains, planes and automobiles.
These three methods of transport have all been affected by the pandemic, with restrictions on group gathering and close proximity travelling. For some the risks are too high even with masks on to be in a small underground location, or overground train with people from across the country in various levels of COVID-19 concentrations.
As of August 2020, some of these govermental restrictions on travel have been eased and the option to travel on public transport is now open, however still many have concerns over safety. It seems the single rider car is the easiest option for many with car-share options carrying risk with close proximity interactions similar to buses and cabs. In the world of construction, many who would usually travel together have since opted to being dropped off by a family member and collected at the end of their shift.
Of course transport options like this seem the only alternative to public trasport in more rural areas, leaving few able to cycle to work due to the distance. However, in city centres many have found new ways to get to work over short distances that previously they would never have considered.
scooting to work.
Being able to travel in a suit to work can be difficult on a bike, on public transport it becomes cramped even before contending with an airborne virus during a global pandemic. Many city workers have adopted the electric scooter as an easy way to travel in open air, standing with minimal effort and risk to an expensive suit and concerns of public transport safety.
additional health benefits.
Although standing quite still, the simple act of being outside, balancing on a board are still better than using a car, and benefits the environement too. The dolphins in venice thank you scooter-ers?
commuting in areas of lockdown restrictions.
You may find yourself in a town that has recently been advised to 'lockdown' and restrict travel and gatherings in an area. In these situations local advice should be followed and where possible avoid public transport.
Walking, cycling, segways, hoverboards - not quite back to the future but the 2014 version of self-balancing scooters are all viable alternatives to driving, and are already allowing many to feel safer commuting during the pandemic.
