Shanghai strikes another blow against outbreak with new rules

As more people are returning to work, the Shanghai government announced today that, from now on, all bus and taxi passengers must wear masks. The same goes for all on-duty drivers, who can call the police on passengers refusing to obey the new order. Earlier, masks were mandatory for all Metro passengers.

Today marks the beginning of the second week of resumed work for many businesses, and more people are hitting the road. According to local media reports, today’s traffic at major Metro stations and on certain elevated roads has surged from a week earlier as normal economic life resumes.

The good news, however, is that about half of the city’s confirmed patients had been cured and released from hospital. The number of newly reported patients in Shanghai has also steadily decreased over the past week. For example, there were five new confirmed patients on February 13, two on February 15, three yesterday, and one by noon today.

Aside from timely and effective medical treatment, the reduction in the number of new patients owes much to the city’s diligence and citizens’ self-discipline. The Xinmin Evening News reported today that its field investigation found that buses, taxis and subway carriages have been subject to the strictest-possible disinfection procedures, and all Metro stations have been equipped with temperature-measuring equipment. Many buses are disinfected three times a day and it takes at least half an hour to sanitize each vehicle.

It is everyone's responsibility to help keep Shanghai safe. As the world works hard to develop vaccines against the new virus, wearing a mask in public spaces, particularly on public transport, helps defend the city and ourselves. It’s both a moral and a legal responsibility.

Like many other citizens, I received text messages from the city’s justice department today reminding us that one can be legally responsible for failure to wear a mask in public spaces or intentionally covering up possible exposure to key epidemic areas. According to Chinese law governing epidemic control, a patient must be treated in isolation. On February 15, Shanghai police filed a suit against a 62-year-old man who covered up his exposure to the epidemic when he went to see a doctor in a local hospital on February 12.

Be it treatment in isolation or wearing a mask in public spaces, it’s something we should do as responsible individuals. 

To help citizens better understand and participate in the fight against the virus, which first broke out last December in Wuhan, in central China's Hubei Province, all the city’s district media centers have launched special channels to interact with citizens, heeding their suggestions for improvement.

Shanghai Observer reported today that many grassroots concerns and suggestions have been answered or accepted. For instance, a resident in Baoshan District reported that some security guards at a residential community had not worn masks while on duty. District officials responded immediately and made sure this would not happen again.

The ongoing battle against the virus requires both society and the individual to do their part. Now it’s clear why everyone must wear a mask on public transport vehicles, why everyone must be honest about possible exposure to illness, and why treatment in isolation is good for everyone. It’s our turn as individuals to collectively abide by the rules.