SOME literally douse the seats of their taxis with disinfectant while others take the more drastic step of avoiding places where the Influenza A (H1N1) virus could be lurking - such as hospitals.
These measures by cabbies come in the wake of the spread of the H1N1 virus here. Yesterday, even as the World Health Organization looks set to declare the outbreak a global pandemic, the Health Ministry said it would not take a similar step.
The reason? Singapore has already taken this development into consideration when mapping out its strategy against the H1N1 virus earlier.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said yesterday: "Countries, particularly Asian countries, including Singapore, have so far put up a robust and commendable fight to prevent the virus from crossing borders and causing local community spread but, deep inside, we all know that there will be community spread eventually, despite our efforts. It is only a matter of time."
When that happens, Singapore will go into the mitigation stage where the focus changes from stopping the spread of the virus to caring for the sick. Cab drivers here have already started avoiding places like airports of their own accord.
Taxi driver Y. S. Chan, 56, said: "I avoid picking up arrivals at the airport as you don't know where they've come back from. For all I know, they could have returned from America or Mexico."
When contacted, taxi operators like ComfortDelGro and Premier Taxi told my paper that they had yet to receive any complaints of drivers shunning places like airports.
