More transport options needed during the holidays

(File photo)
(File photo)

A Cebuano business leader has called for caution and improved transportation for the Christmas season as more employees are expected to return to their respective cities and towns.

Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Steven Yu urged stakeholders to provide sufficient public transportation to avoid the risk of Covid-19 transmission during the busiest days of the month of December.

“We keep on talking about prevention and economic recovery, but we are not up to speed in deploying sufficient public transportation. When people are desperate to catch a ride home, their guard is down, body immunity is weak and this is the state of highest vulnerability to catch the virus,” he said.

Yu said people have to work and public transportation is still a big dilemma.

“It has to be resolved soonest, not just to aid economic recovery but also to ensure virus transmission is contained until the vaccine comes,” he said.

Yu encouraged a “muted social family gathering or with some friends” as long as health and safety protocols are in place.

“We can control it as long as we are always mindful. There are face shields, and various gadgets available to protect us on top of the face masks. We just have to always remember to wear them,” he said.

Yu said the threat of the new coronavirus remains.

“It is still very much around us, and as such, we encourage everyone to follow the health and safety protocols laid down by the Department of Health,” he said.

He said that while the vaccine is coming, the public cannot let their guard down, especially with the coming holiday season.

“When it comes to social gatherings, it is best done in a bigger space to be able to have social distancing. There are many establishments now with big spaces that accommodate this need. And prices have gone down too,” Yu said.

Yu said it will take six to nine more months before 60 percent of the population is inoculated.

“In this last stage of virus existential threat, we have to make sure that we will not have a surge in cases,”

he said.

Less than a month before Christmas Day, business owners are looking to capture the interest of shoppers who are now wary of spending due to the pandemic and at the same time maintain a Covid-free workplace for their employees.

Of the 22,664 Covid-19 cases recorded in Cebu as of Nov. 26, 867 remain active cases. / JOB

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph