Longer mass transit commutes in NYC linked to higher coronavirus rates, study says – SILive.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Longer commutes on public transit were linked to higher rates of coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission during New York Citys first wave of the pandemic, a potentially concerning revelation for the thousands of Staten Islanders who spend hours commuting to and from other boroughs on a daily basis.

A recent study from Cornell University found that during the initial coronavirus outbreak in New York City, neighborhoods where residents spent more time commuting on public transportation saw higher infection rates than those where bus and subway usage was less frequent.

The latest research shows that for closed environments, such as public transportation (PT) vehicles, adherence to physical distancing, high-frequency cleaning and proper use of face masks can successfully reduce the probability of contagion, but the total viral load and the risk of inhaling infectious aerosols both increase with time spent in a confined space, according to the study.

Researchers analyzed the correlation between average time commuting on public transportation and infection rates in various neighborhoods throughout the city during the initial coronavirus lockdown.

Data showed that from April 6, 2020, through June 7, 2020, every additional minute added onto a neighborhoods average commute by public transportation resulted in a 0.8 in the daily new case rate per 100,000 residents.

While this may not seem significant at first glance, this means that every additional 30 minutes spent commuting on public transportation correlated to an increase of 24 new cases per 100,000, and every additional hour resulted in 48 new cases per 100,000.

These findings are particularly concerning for Staten Islanders, who consistently deal with the longest public transportation commutes of any borough.

Staten Islanders who commute to work by public transit spend an average of 59.9 minutes on their daily commute, according to the U.S. Census Bureau data cited in the study.

That was the highest average public transit commute time of any borough, followed by Queens (54.6 minutes), the Bronx (53.1 minutes), Brooklyn (49.2 minutes) and Manhattan (40.2 minutes).

Read more:

Longer mass transit commutes in NYC linked to higher coronavirus rates, study says - SILive.com