Passenger Trains > "41 Transit Workers Dead: Crisis Takes Staggering Toll on Subways

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/08/nyregion/coronavirus-nyc-mta-subway.html?action=click&module=Top+Stories&pgtype=Homepage&fbclid=IwAR3KPJWKUqgRsAKRfHd8kiO51uNVw7aZrqM4sw3iCCTaJhC8icaoc0IZNGM

Wow!  That's horrible.  :(

One month ago, you posted the following article:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/09/us/new-york-subway-coronavirus/index.html

In response, someone made this comment:

Of course it's a CNN article. What else would expect. Their political agenda benefits by spreading (no pun) fear and the resulting economic chaos.

MTA moved too damned slow in handing out N95 masks. 
 

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> MTA moved too damned slow in handing out N95
> masks. 
>  

Sanitizing subways and buses every two or three days didn't help, either.

Guys have a right to expect their employer will provide a safe environment.

To the Editor:

The MTA during this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has been grieving over the tragic deaths of many of our colleagues. The one-sided New York Times story “41 Transit Workers Dead: Crisis Takes Staggering Toll on Subways” that ran April 8 only adds to that anguish by ignoring the facts.

Since March 1, when the first case of COVID-19 was identified in New York, the MTA has taken aggressive action to protect the health and safety of our heroic workforce on the frontlines of this crisis.

The only ‘sluggish’ response has been on the part of the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, whose guidelines against widespread use of masks the MTA (a transportation organization, not a medical provider) initially followed but has since disregarded. To date, we have provided 460,000 N95 and surgical masks to all of our operating employees in addition to thousands of face shields and 2.5 million pairs of gloves. Only last week – after the MTA acted and we recommended our customers wear face coverings – did the CDC change course and recommend Americans wear masks. The WHO has still not acted.

Additionally, here’s what the MTA, which took many of these steps before any transportation agency nationwide, has done. On March 3, the MTA implemented new disinfecting procedures – sanitizing our stations and full fleet of thousands of rolling stock daily and fully every 72 hours. On March 11, we stepped those efforts up to disinfect stations twice daily. We have implemented rear-door boarding to ensure social distancing for bus operators and eliminated cash transactions systemwide to limit person-to-person contact.

After the state implemented the ‘NY on Pause’ order on March 20, the MTA put into place the Essential Service Plan on March 24 to preserve service for healthcare workers, first responders and other essential workers – allowing flexible scheduling to maximize social distancing and limit the number of people needed to come to work. We also implemented unprecedented back office procedures to promote social distancing in and around crew rooms and bus depots.

The MTA’s pandemic plan is a blueprint that we have followed and improved on since day one. Unfortunately, what the plan, like others nationwide, did not contemplate was that medical guidance during this specific period would be not to use certain stockpiled items for all employees. Moreover, to set the record straight on supplies provided, the MTA has given employees: 12,500 gallons and over 50,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, 500,000 sanitizing wipes and 53,000 gallons of cleaning solution. We will continue to distribute these materials.

The MTA’s singular focus is on protecting our heroic employees and customers. Any suggestion otherwise is baseless. We have implemented our plan and made necessary changes in real time as we deal with this unprecedented public health crisis.

Sincerely,
Patrick J. Foye
MTA Chairman and CEO

Foye apparently gets his news from the four-footed "Fair and Balanced" network favored by No. 45.
It now comes out that DOD intelligence was reporting on the threat of virus from China in late November and it worked its way up to the White House in late January.
Blaming WHO is political blame shifting, the responsible people knew the score over two months ago, from our own sources.
All of which is beside the point. 
No matter where it came from it is a crisis we all have to work together to solve.
Thanks for posting, I had no idea it was that bad among the MTA employees.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MTA moved too damned slow in handing out N95
> masks. 

Exactly. As we all know, there were hundreds of thousands of then available for MTA to pick up and hand out.

railstiesballast Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Foye apparently gets his news from the four-footed
> "Fair and Balanced" network favored by No. 45.
> It now comes out that DOD intelligence was
> reporting on the threat of virus from China in
> late November and it worked its way up to the
> White House in late January.
> Blaming WHO is political blame shifting, the
> responsible people knew the score over two months
> ago, from our own sources.
> All of which is beside the point. 
> No matter where it came from it is a crisis we all
> have to work together to solve.
> Thanks for posting, I had no idea it was that bad
> among the MTA employees.

I agree with this 1,000%. 

DOD has denied the reporting by ABC concerning the so called November Report. Lets get back to trains.
CR

The Wall Street Journal reported in a front page article on January 6, 2020 about a mysterious virus that had already closed several factories in the Wuhan area.  The article notes that the impact on electronics factories was not yet quantifiable.  Bloomberg had already reported about the swine flu epidemic devastating the Chinese pig industry, and the rapid response to that issue.  It noted the diversion of epidemiologists from the pig issue to the "Wuhan issue".

https://www.wsj.com/articles/health-officials-work-to-solve-chinas-mystery-virus-outbreak-11578308757?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1

Frankly, I'd be surprised if the National Security Council wasn't already aware of the problems, since they affect Huawei, Foxconn, and other electronics makers.  Seeking Alpha subscribers were already discussing reports of electronics suppliers missing deadlines, etc.

OT: The obvious question is Even if these reports were on the President's National Security daily briefing, did he read / hear / understand them? 

Mt Sinai medical researchers have figured that it at least started in NYC from Europe, not Asia. 

A Bronx Zoo tiger tested positive. That means the cat species can transmit to and from humans. But can coyotes and dogs ? 

Rumors on a NYC Subway chatgroup says MTA initially discouraged or forbade the use of masks, even if some had them in their possession, as it would "panic the passengers".



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/20 07:11 by joemvcnj.

Please accept my apologies, WM 1977 is correct, the DOD reports that the alleged November security report was false.
That said, it only changes the timeline to very early January.
The real tragedies are that so many people are ill, have died, are unemployed, and so many others are avoiding needed health care.
The railroad aspects of this are quite widespread,both on the human scale of railroaders and travelers and on the traffic and service levels in steep decline.