Is there an increased risk of infection with the coronavirus in Baden-Württemberg in public transport? According to a study by the Berlin Charité, this is not the case.
Stuttgart / Berlin – The corona virus in Baden-Württemberg (BW24 * reported) and all of Germany is particularly dangerous due to the high risk of infection from person to person. In the course of the pandemic, new measures to protect against infection * were repeatedly introduced. A large number of these related to places where a large number of people can generally be expected in a confined space. For example, restaurants, bars and cafés were and are therefore closed for months and large events such as concerts and festivals are out of the question. At least theaters and co. Could reopen soon * but with strict rules.
Due to the corona virus in Baden-Württemberg, many companies moved their work from the office to the home office. This also reduced the number of passengers in local public transport. From February 15 to March 26, the Berlin Charité carried out a survey on the risk of infection in buses and trains. The study was carried out in the area of responsibility of the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund, but the Ministry of Transport in Baden-Württemberg was also strongly committed to the study, according to a statement. Due to the high number of passengers in large cities such as the state capital Stuttgart *, one could assume that the risk of infection in buses and trains is significantly higher than, for example, in your own car. However, according to the results of the study, this is not the case.
Coronavirus in Baden-Württemberg: Study on the risk of infection in buses and trains
The vehicles of the Stuttgart Transport and Tariff Association (VVS) alone, which also includes public transport in the districts of Ludwigsburg *, Esslingen *, Böblingen, Göppingen and the Rems-Murr district, saw 394.5 million passengers in 2019 promoted. Due to the corona virus in Baden-Württemberg, the number of passengers fell by almost 40 percent to 240 million in 2020. The Charité Research Organization, a subsidiary of the Berlin Charité, wanted to use the study to check whether there is actually an increased risk of infection in public transport. For this purpose, the institute selected 682 participants without prior corona infection, as reported by the German Press Agency (dpa).
The subjects were then divided into two groups. During the five-week test phase, one part should be in private transport – for example by car, and the other part should use public transport. Although the study by the Charité Research Organization was carried out in the Rhein-Main transport association, the results can also be transferred to the transport associations and local public transport in southwest Germany.
“The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Transport was very committed to this study,” said Transport Minister Winfried Herrmann (Greens). “We want scientific clarity for passengers as to whether there is a risk of infection or how high it is.” However, there was reason to assume in advance that this was not the case. “But that should be checked,” said Herrmann.
Risk of contagion in local transport: “Now have scientific clarity”
To evaluate the study by the Charité Research Organization, the participants were tested for antibodies after the five-week test phase. This was to prove whether an infection with the coronavirus had been survived. According to the dpa , such antibodies were detected in the same number of participants in the two test subject groups. The authors of the study concluded from this that the risk of infection in everyday life does not increase with the use of local public transport. Accordingly, an infection with the corona virus in Baden-Württemberg is no more likely in buses and trains than in private cars.
Transport Minister Herrmann was also satisfied with the results of the study. “We now have scientific clarity for passengers that the use of public transport in relation to other means of transport is not associated with an increased risk of infection,” he announced on Monday. “The results of the study show that compliance with hygiene rules, frequent cleaning and ventilation of vehicles on the one hand and keeping your distance and wearing a mask on the other hand are effective means of infection protection.” Due to the high number of new infections with the coronavirus in Baden-Württemberg within seven Days per 100,000 inhabitants in the Stuttgart region in local public transport there has been an obligation to wear an FFP2 mask for several weeks. * BW24 is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
