NEWS RELEASE
CITY OF BARRIE
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In order to be transparent to the community, the City of Barrie is sharing the following information out of an abundance of caution. The City was notified this evening that a Barrie Transit operator received a positive COVID-19 test result today.
The bus operator is following public health directions and isolating. All buses are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized after service each day and receive additional mid-day sanitization to further improve safety measures.
Barrie Transit is not aware of any workplace transmission at this time. As the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit advises on an ongoing basis, everyone in the community should follow Health Unit guidelines, self-monitor, and get tested if they have COVID-19 symptoms.
“Barrie Transit continues to do everything we can to ensure a safe environment for our riders and employees,” says Brent Forsyth, Director of Transit and Parking Strategy. “We wish the affected driver well and hope they are feeling better soon.”
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Barrie Transit has taken extra precautions to keep employees and riders safe and continues to follow the direction of the Health Unit. These measures include:
- Plexiglass shield around the driver
- At least six feet of space between the driver and the first seat on the bus
- Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of vehicles
- Requirement for masks in public areas
- Hand sanitizers on all vehicles
- Capacity limitations to support physical distancing
- Active screening of all employees completed on a daily basis
- Protocols in place that eliminates the requirement for physical contact between drivers and riders
We remind everyone using Barrie Transit to follow public health measures to keep everyone safe, including staying home when sick, wearing a mask in indoor public places, including on public transit, washing your hands frequently or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer, staying two metres apart from other riders when possible, and getting tested for COVID-19 if you have any symptoms.
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