That, this summer -- and even heading into colder months -- may be the key, according to Dr. Arnot: "Fundamentally you've got to have clean outdoor air, indoors and where could you possibly have better air than the state of Maine.". Many transit companies have established frequent cleaning routines, but evidence suggests that airborne transmission of the novel coronavirus poses a greater danger than surfaces. Passport wait times are up again. Travel + Leisure magazine may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Travel tips you can trust. A post shared by Ali Wunderman (@aliwunderman). For the buses, ridership is down about 60% from pre-pandemic levels. TRAVEL + LEISURE is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Co., registered in the United States and other countries. "It's not to measure whether you have too much carbon dioxide as any kind of a toxin," Dr. Arnot said. "We were at 2,000 PPM for the local classrooms here, and we opened the window and we were at 550 PPM," Arnot said. He adds, Weve seen this in studies of flu transmission on airplanes. While the flu virus doesnt necessarily spread throughout the entire plane, a sick person who expels the virus into the air is likely to spray contaminated droplets on the people in the seats around them. Since then, Amtrak has enhanced both its fleet and travel experiences to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. I grabbed a cup of freshly brewed coffee, and put in my order for lunch. Somewhere after Santa Barbara, golden hour set in, and the tracks brought us nearly to the edge of cliffs running along the Pacific Ocean. METRO launched a joint website with regional transit systems to provide information to riders about safety protocols. More information: Michael John Patton et al, COVID-19 bacteremic co-infection is a major risk factor for mortality, ICU admission, and mechanical ventilation, Critical Care (2023). The affected routes include some trains in the Northeast Corridor and a New Orleans route. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Rossi is a medical doctor in Pekin, Illinois, and CEO of Reditus Laboratories, a company that conducts COVID-19 testing. And thats when I got to work. The driver of a tractor-trailer struck by an Amtrak train in Vermont on Monday has been ticketed. In addition, the railroad has restored daily service for its East Coast long . "Cambridge University says it is the best overall indicator of whether or not you have fresh air in that room or not. Finally, the signals of change are growing obvious. Thanks for reading Scientific American. A representative is available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide information regarding railroad operating matters. However, too often, freight operators ignore the rule, according to Amtrak. "Places like Washington State have already mandated live CO2 readings for restaurants, as a way to try to mitigate the virus risk.The data emerging from a handful of new research papers show that COVID-19 can build up in poorly ventilated spaces.In fact, a recent MIT study found the risk of being exposed to the coronavirus could be as great whether a person is 6 feet or 60 feet away if the air is mixed.That study went on to point out the potential threat existed even with a mask.WHAT TO DO AT HOME"The reason we still have hundreds to thousands of cases every single day it's as if people were walking into burning buildings and we didn't have smoke detectors," Dr. Arnot said.For homes and many businesses, the solution may be as simple as keeping all the windows open as much as possible.More airtight locations would have to work with their HVAC systems to increase the fresh air intake to levels that would adequately lower the parts per million (PPM).MAKING CLASSROOMS SAFERSchools have been some of the first places to take a hard look at their ventilation. We reached my room and I was immediately impressed. For someone like me with immune issues that put them in a higher-risk category for COVID-19, having this option offered an off-load of anxiety. Solo travel can be risky. At most, it cuts transmission substantially. He recommends only removing your mask to eat or drink. Joseph Khabbaza, a critical care medicine specialist at Cleveland Clinic, said travelers can be meticulous about their plans and still the wild card is you dont know whos going to be close to you and how close theyre going to be, what are their personal views, and how they have been approaching these last seven or eight months.. But those still wary of catching COVID-19 may wonder: Is taking a train safer? It wasnt. Schools have been some of the first places to take a hard look at their ventilation. Amtrak, which serves more than 500 destinations in 46 states and three Canadian provinces, also offers a unique class of service that might especially appeal to travelers in the COVID-19 era: private rooms. With COVID-19s onrush, that hope was shunted to a political siding. Follow her on Twitter @tanyalewis314Credit: Nick Higgins, Amanda Montaez is an associate graphics editor at Scientific American. U.S. passenger railroad Amtrak told a U.S. House of Representatives panel on Thursday it expects to be forced to temporarily cut some service in January because of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Bring disinfectant wipes to clean the surfaces in your area, like the armrests and tray tables. At a casual glance, air travel might seem like the perfect recipe for COVID transmission: it packs dozens of people into a confined space, often for hours at a time. With tourism expected to rebound, officials hope to get back to about 60% of pre-pandemic ridership by mid-summer. It is worth noting that masks are not mandatory in the dining car when seated for meals, nor are passengers required to wear masks elsewhere while they are eating or drinking. In fact, we have a full-time medical director and public health and safety team who have been on the frontlines throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Read more about the coronavirus outbreak from Scientific American here. Upon reaching out to Amtrak, a spokesperson for the company said, "The health and safety of our riders and crew continues to be our number one priority. And read coverage from our international network of magazines here. It is nearly impossible for drivers and passengers to remain six feet apart in a car, so transmission is definitely possible. And at any given meal time, I found that only three out of five tables were ever occupied. Nationwide, Amtrak was on time only 60% to 70% of the time in many states in 2019. MediaRelations@Amtrak.com This article was published more than2 years ago. But now the idea of being in such an enclosed space with a stranger can seem like a life-and-death proposition. Amtrak was created by the Congress in 1971 when the nations existing railroads said theyd no longer carry passengers. So Flynn also asked Congress to give Amtrak the right to sue freight rail operations in federal court, so we can ensure our customers are not unnecessarily delayed by freight trains, and arrive on time.. Among . WASHINGTON (AP) The military services are still reviewing possible discipline of troops who refused the order to get the COVID-19 vaccine, defense officials told Congress on Tuesday, and they . You can isolate from really everyone, so that, of course, becomes essentially just as safe as driving in your car, Khabbaza said, although you may still have to encounter people if you go to the dining car or a communal restroom or when you exit the train. Most of these flights occurred early on in the pandemic, however, and in the case of the March 1 flight, masks were likely not worn, the researchers wrote. Amtrak said on Friday that it will temporarily reduce service on some trains because of staffing challenges stemming from a surge in cases of the Omicron variant among workers . Besides COVID-19,. East of Kalamazoo, where the track needs improving, Amtraks maximum speed is 79 mph. Our timing was impeccable and lined up with the sunset. Since then, ridership crept partway back to its. "With the sort of substandard masks most of us wear, if you don't have good ventilation, I just think you don't have a chance." Up until this point, all of my anxiety about traveling during a pandemic had managed to drown out something I hadnt even considered: the excitement of traveling. It turned out to be a rough night, full of rattles and rumbles. Riding Amtrak's Northeast Regional service from New York to Boston. Those numbers suggest there could be another travel bump in the next few weeks around Christmas. But even with fresh air available, an infected passenger can still transmit the coronavirus to someone who is sitting in close proximityso riders should attempt to space themselves out and avoid densely packed cars whenever possible. Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada took major hits in the two years since COVID-19 pushed much of the world into lockdown mode. Amtrak, however, is limiting passenger capacity to roughly 50 percent (a percentage that varies depending on the quantity and size of groups traveling together) and has expanded cars and routes . In lieu of offering everyone private rooms, Murray says that assigned (spaced-out) seating is a smart step for Amtrak to take to protect passengers and allow for social distancing. On Jan. 25, a test train with no passengers pulled new coaches from Chicago to Pontiac, then back again to Chicago on Jan. 26. This past spring the novel coronavirus tore through New York City, reaching a peak of thousands of new cases per day in April. I also realized that absolutely none of the windows on the train were open, and frequent reminders over the intercom made it clear that passengers were not to attempt to open them. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Theres no filtration system in the world that will move air fast enough to get COVID-19 away from you before you can be exposed to it, says Lofgren. Amtraks ridership hit an all-time record nationwide in 2019, then skidded by about 90% in April when cases of COVID-19 began soaring. Your Health Quickly, Episode 1, COVID Poses Severe Risks during Pregnancy, Especially in Unvaccinated People, Survivors of Deadly Earthquakes Must Deal with Lasting Trauma, A New Map Tracks the World's Largest Glaciers, The Most Compelling Science Graphics of 2022, See How Much Climate Change Has Cost Different Countries. Amtrak's ridership hit an all-time record nationwide in 2019, then skidded by about 90% in April when cases of COVID-19 began soaring. If a window is able to be opened, that always helps getting droplets to disperse very quickly, making it very unlikely that they will make it to another person in enough of a concentration to transmit infection, especially if masking is enforced, he said. In fact, Dr. Arnot said he thought the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focused too much early in the coronavirus pandemic response on cleaning surfaces (including the 19% of Americans who put bleach on their food to kill coronavirus) and not enough on lowering transmission through good ventilation for indoor spaces. But is train travel during the coronavirus safe? WASHINGTON Amtrak successfully advanced its COVID-19 recovery efforts throughout its 50th Anniversary fiscal year, through continued safety measures for customers and employees, increased train service levels in line with growing demand and continued building a strong foundation for modernization and growth. Its all about how many people you come in contact with during your journey. Sophie Bushwick is an associate editor covering technology at Scientific American. One advantage to taking a train over a plane is that there are often fewer crowds and queues. 01:32 (LOSE FILE CHIP) IT'S NOT JUST BUILDINGS -- PUBLIC TRANSIT LIKE AMTRAK HAS BEEN LOOKING AT AIR QUALITY TOO. Amtrak typically makes track announcements between 10 and 15 minutes before departure, and I wanted to get a good seat. Widespread mask use is key, says Lofgren. Yet, Amtrak mandated masks for all passengers and employees beginning last spring. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The need to extend safety systems and upgrade more track, officials said. The airport, for example, is usually an extremely busy place with people coming and going from all over, and passengers typically spend a long time cooped up together waiting for their plane. With flying, COVID risk really comes down to how closely one sits to other people and for how long, whether or not everyone is wearing a mask, and how infectious any passengers are at the time. Is train travel a safer option this holiday? It has less to do with germy surfaces than you think. For the most part, it seemed the protocols were being adhered to, but when staff seemed more lax about sanitizing and enforcing mask policy, passengers used that opportunity to be less safe themselves.. Some drivers have even installed a plastic shield between the front and back seats. As soon as I stepped into the boarding line at Portlands Union Station, I noticed signs of the times: masks and markers on the floor, instructing people where to stand. Though it was a shared space . When I finally made it to the dining room the next day, after official breakfast hours were over, Sandy and Linda greeted me. The internet was spotty at best, forcing me to spend the hours admiring the scenery, reading, and making quick and easy lunchtime friends at my table in the dining room. Time: How much of it will you be spending in a place where you could get infected? Increased Amtrak Police Department presence in stations and onboard trains to help enforce the federal transportation mask mandate. Dont let them spoil a trip. Last year, the rail systems executives along with their boosters in the nonprofit Rail Passengers Association had hoped to cap their record-breaking 2019 ridership with a crucial win in the U.S. Congress, at last giving Amtrak the legal clout for its trains to take precedence over the freight trains that it says so often cause delays. By the time I reached the dining car, I was relieved to see that Sandy, the dining room attendant, was masked and wiping down tables. COVID-19 has fast-tracked many innovations already in the works. Detours with locals. Monitoring carbon dioxide levels, getting more fresh outdoor air in spaces key. And, the company's 18,000 employees are required to be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing, effective Nov. 1. HE SAYS -- WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE AIR QUALITY OF THE SPACES WE'RE WALKING INTO. Private Rooms Amtrak will continue to play an important role in the national transportation network for the next 50 years and beyond by operating a safe, environmentally efficient and fiscally responsible business by providing travelers with an experience that sets a new standard. If youre traveling a long distance, then booking a private carespecially if it has a bathroomcould substantially lower your risk. It might be worth the price. "Almost no cases came from somebody touching something -- all the time and effort spent washing when it should have been ventilation, number one, and masks, number two.". Since my journey seemed to vary from what I had read about other pandemic Amtrak experiences, I decided to reach out to travel writer Ali Wunderman, who had journeyed overnight on Amtraks Empire Builder train, which runs from Chicago to Portland, Oregon. Amtrak rider Erin Silverman of Bloomfield Hills got off the train on the night of Feb. 5 in Troy, after riding the rails all the way to and from Denver. So how does this translate into overall risk? He has also been recommending face shields to patients. Upon reaching out to Amtrak, a spokesperson for the company said, "The health and safety of our riders and crew continues to be our number one priority. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. We talked to Amtraks corporate medical director, Ann Kuhnen, MD, as well as two epidemiologists about why these precautions matter, and what else you should know before booking a trip. light filter, and we are testing that," said Denise Beck, Marketing and Community Outreach Manager for Greater Portland METRO. As I approached the platform outside the sleeping car, I flashed my paperwork to a welcoming employee who managed to flash back a big smile, even with her face hidden behind a mask. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Corrie Pikul is the Health and Wellness Director of O, The Oprah magazine, where she covers every aspect of health, from mood to the microbiome, the immune system to the cardiovascular system, sex to sleep. "With the sort of substandard masks most of us wear, if you don't have good ventilation, I just think you don't have a chance.". You dont want to get sick just because someone was unwilling to choose a different seat. Or, get someone sick if you're a carrier. Most major cities subways and trains constantly recirculate a mixture of fresh air and older air, both of which are pulled through a filter rated on the MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) scale. Media members should contact the Media Relations Office for their region (see the map and listings here). In Vermont, Dr. Arnot advised some of the local school districts on how to improve their air quality. Many of the cities in question required commuters to wear masks. In August the New York Times asked several international transportation agencies whether any superspreading events had been linked to mass transit, and they said none had. They were very serious about having people wear masks. But many planes have excellent high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that capture more than 99 percent of particles in the air, including microbes as SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID. Also, Magliari said: We have significantly more spacing (than airlines and buses) between our seats. All of those situations increase your risk of coming into contact with the virus and picking it up. Since 2012, theyve rolled as fast as 110 mph there. Due to safety reasons, the windows on Amtrak trains open only in case of emergencies, explains Kuhnen. "I think Maine is very well positioned," Quinn said. "Almost no cases came from somebody touching something -- all the time and effort spent washing when it should have been ventilation, number one, and masks, number two. (Amtrak declined to answer my inquiries on whether or not this violated their mask policy, but they did say that refusing to wear a mask in a public space will result in prompt removal from the train.). 5hr 10min late. This is why its crucial that you put another layer of protection between you and everyone else on the train. Finally, experts suggest that limiting the length of a ride can also be helpful: 15 minutes on a subway is safer than a multihour train trip. "We were at 2,000 PPM for the local classrooms here, and we opened the window and we were at 550 PPM," Arnot said.The doctors say the upper limit of any building you would want to be in would be around 800 PPM, measured by CO2 meters that are available online and in most home improvement stores for around $100.Some Maine schools, like in Gorham, have used federal relief bill money to install upgrade their ventilation systems. As I set my things down, the train rolled into motion. So far on the journey, Id soaked in the wooded landscape of the Pacific Northwest, gluing myself to the window as we snaked through trees already painted with golden yellows, bright oranges, and fiery reds. On pure reflex, I shot to the window to watch as we rode over the Willamette River. Knowledge awaits. But later reviews of the evidence suggest mass transit systems have not been major drivers of viral spread. During the 2019 fiscal year, Amtrak carried a record 32.5 million passengers; however, an Amtrak internal analysis in April showed a 95 percent drop in ridership because of the coronavirus. "It's not to measure whether you have too much carbon dioxide as any kind of a toxin," Dr. Arnot said. For those who cant get a private room, Khabbaza recommended accessing fresh air for improved ventilation, even though Amtrak says all of its trains have onboard filtration systems with a fresh air exchange rate every four to five minutes. Amtrak is issuing travel guidelines that aim to reassure customers that several added cleanliness and convenience measures have been implemented on their trains as the country begins to reopen during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The new cars could be put into service as soon as this spring, said Michael Frezell, a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Transportation, which purchased the cars and owns much of the track Amtrak uses between Detroit and Chicago. Thats far less risky than the indoor settings of airport security lines and waiting areas where passengers gather and sit before boarding. An NEJM study in March reported on a Thai taxi driver who fell ill and tested positive for the coronavirus after driving some tourists who had been coughing but wearing a mask. Wundermans advice for travelers considering taking trains this holiday season is to book a roomette or fly instead. 15 people were likely infected with COVID-19 in-flight, study modeled the risk of in-flight infection, novel coronavirus tore through New York City, asked several international transportation agencies, report by the American Public Transportation Association, Environmental Protection Agency recommends them, Sorry, UFO Hunters--You Might Just Be Looking at a Spy Balloon, AI Outraces Human Champs at the Video Game Gran Turismo, The Pandemic's Mental Toll, and Does Telehealth Work? Una buena ventilacin, . Theres not enough data on either to say which is safer, but the same risk factors are at play. The same goes while aboard their trains. I wanted to determine if my experience was more the exception or the norm. National Railroad Passenger Corporation. Masks covering your nose and mouth are required by Amtrak in all stations, as is keeping proper social distance from others. For those who can't get a private room, Khabbaza recommended accessing fresh air for improved ventilation, even though Amtrak says all of its trains have onboard filtration systems with a fresh. If you happen to be seated close to a person who is actively shedding the virus, especially if it is a long flight or that person is not wearing a mask, there is a higher chance that you will get the disease. (DR BOB ZOOM) 18:02 FUNDAMENTALLY YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE CLEAN OUTDOOR AIR, INDOORS. Solo passengers can use the empty seats next to them for personal belongings. Our 50th year as a company is certainly a milestone, and we launched several hallmark initiatives as we embark on a new era for passenger rail, said Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia. Instead of eating in the dining car, I took advantage of Amtraks new room service option and had all my meals delivered right to my room at a time of my choosing. Still, a handful of case studies have found that limited transmission can take place onboard. Initially some researchers blamed the metropoliss bustling subwaywhich carried 5.5 million commuters on a typical pre-COVID weekdayfor making it the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. Cases of COVID-19 Co., registered in the Northeast Corridor and a New route. Dr BOB ZOOM ) 18:02 FUNDAMENTALLY you 'VE GOT to have clean outdoor air spaces... Medical doctor in Pekin, Illinois, and we are testing that, '' Dr. Arnot.. 'S not JUST BUILDINGS -- PUBLIC transit like Amtrak has enhanced amtrak covid ventilation its fleet and travel experiences to help the! Your nose and mouth are required by Amtrak in all stations, as is keeping proper social distance from.. 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