ARTICLE 1 : FLU SIGNS; That back-of-the-bus plan will not work

2009/09/10
M.G., Kuala Lumpur
I REFER to the report, "Drivers play a vital role" (NST, Sept 5), in which public transport drivers and conductors were urged to take the necessary precautionary measures to prevent the spread of influenza A (H1N1) among their passengers, especially if there are passengers displaying flu-like symptoms in the bus.
Besides those displaying obvious symptoms of flu, there may be those among the passengers who may be incubating the disease (during the period between being infected and before the symptoms show up) and immune carriers who show no obvious signs of the disease but may nevertheless be shedding the flu virus.

In air-conditioned buses that ply intercity routes, the same air is re-circulated among the passengers throughout the bus several times before it is gradually replaced with fresh air.

Any virus shed by an infected passenger in the bus will be quickly spread throughout the bus -- thereby exposing others in it to infection.


The use of masks should be made compulsory.

It may not always be practical to isolate passengers with obvious flu-like symptoms at the back of the bus with two rows left vacant in front and behind the infected passengers, especially during the balik kampung period when most or all seats are occupied.

Making it compulsory for all passengers to wear approved face masks may be a better option to prevent the spread of flu in buses and other public-transport vehicles.

Comment:
From my opinion, the big disease of HINI is really dangerous and we should aware of that especially who have flu of cough and fever. Those who have this kind of pain better go to take medical from the doctor. The important thing for all the people in the world should use masks and that is compulsory that is to prevent us from the HINI. “PREVENT IS BETTER THAN CURE”.