Defending a moving target: H1N1 preparedness training for the transit industry

To stem the spread of the novel H1N1 virus, U.S. public health officials put forth a variety of recommendations, ranging from practicing social distancing and frequent hand washing at the individual level, to furloughs and continual cleaning of commonly touched surfaces at the level of the organization. Although these steps are amenable to implementation in an office, school or hospital setting, they are nearly impossible to apply in the public transit environment, where large numbers of people remain in close quarters, with no running water and limited opportunities for disinfection. Recognizing the need to offer adequate protection from infection to employees and customers alike, transit officials expressed the need for H1N1-specific training, tailored to industry needs and limitations, to Rutgers University's Center for Transportation Safety, Security and Risk. The resulting course, which was informed through a combination of literature-based and primary research, combined the most current public health data with best practices gleaned from some of the nation's largest transit agencies, in a just-in-time format.