MBTA Orange Line train taken out of service after passenger allegedly licks subway car
Licking an MBTA subway car, in times of COVID-19 or not, is probably not the healthiest idea.
A southbound train on the Orange Line was taken out of service on Friday after a passenger was reported seen licking the subway car.
In an emailed statement, MBTA spokeman Joe Pesaturo wrote, “Out of an abundance of caution, a southbound train was taken out of service after a passenger reported the alleged incident to a Transit Ambassador at Tufts Medical Center Station. Transit Police were notified of the alleged incident.”
Transit Police Superintendent Richard Sullivan told The Boston Globe that the passenger exited the train and fled the station before the transit officers arrived. “An area search was conducted to no avail … The train car was pulled from service and received an extensive cleaning,” he said.
The abundance of caution follows other measures taken by the MBTA to help stop the spread COVID-19 such as urging passengers to board buses and trolleys from the back to avoid contact with drivers, and implementing reduced service schedules.
Just earlier this week, the MBTA confirmed three of its bus drivers had tested positive for coronavirus.
Licking an MBTA subway car, in times of COVID-19 or not, is probably not the healthiest idea.
The CDC says that though it’s believed coronavirus spreads mainly through person-to-person contact, respiratory water droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people nearby, in addition to spreading from contaminated surfaces.
The alleged licking incident is concurrently timed with a recent “Coronavirus Challenge” online trend that has people licking toilet bowls for shock-value.
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