Hand sanitizing at MetroLink stations
Jamming several hundred strangers into a small space is an excellent way to spread the flu. All it takes is one powerful sneeze and a few germy hands. The American Red Cross also sees stations as good places to educate St. Louisans about the disease and will be distributing hand sanitizer at select locations starting next week.
“With more than 100,000 people boarding a MetroBus or MetroLink train each week, transit is a great place to reach a cross section of citizens in the region,” said Craig Macdonald, director of Metro’s risk management, safety and claims.
Recent estimates say that 50 percent of the population could come down with the virus this flu season. Volunteers will be distributing information on how how to avoid coming down with it along with the samples of sanitizers.
Helping with the push is Germ-X and PandemicPrep.org. The Red Cross volunteers will be distributing samples of sanitizer on the mornings of Sept. 2 at the Central West End station, Sept. 3 at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere station, Sept. 4 at the Fairview Heights station, Sept. 8 at the Civic Center station, Sept. 9 at the North Hanley station, and Sept. 10 at the Fifth and Missouri station.
Now, if we could only get some of the MetroLink riders to bathe in Germ-X, we might have something…
Yes, hand sanitizers will be provided, but you’ll have to wait to go to the bathroom. Hold it in or go in your seat or in the elevator. I guess that’s sanitary for Metro.
Now, Dan S1. If St. Louisans don’t want to give Metro more money to “Keep Rolling”, why would they want to give the money to build and maintain restrooms at each station? They should do both, in my opinion, but obviously I am in the minority here.
Why do people feel Metro needs to provide restrooms? Yes, it’s disgusting that too many individuals relieve themselves in the elevators, but that’s because they’re crude and lazy. I’ve seen men relieving themselves along Locust between Broadway and 6th (the parking lot that used to be Woolworth’s). Does this mean the city needs to install restrooms on every street corner? Do you think it’s simple to extend and connect water and sewer lines to a Metro station? Get real. If the county people wouldn’t approve a tax increase to keep Metro running (but still cram on for hockey and baseball games), how do you plan on raising money for restrooms?