Covid-19 fight-back: Ride-hailing firm in the driving seat

29 Mar, 2020 - 00:03 0 Views
Covid-19 fight-back: Ride-hailing firm in the driving seat

The Sunday Mail

Business Reporter

The late US Senator, Ted Kennedy, famously said: “What divides us pales in comparison to what unites us.”

It is in the most desperate of times, such as in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, that we need to come together and look out for each other.

This is according to Mrs Dorothy Zimuto, the CEO of VAYA Zimbabwe, the mobility and logistic hail-riding company, as she called on the public to exercise all measures to stay safe and protect one another from spreading the virus.

“No effort is minimal in combating this pandemic and we, at VAYA, have gone on a drive to try and help make the transport sector safer for the public,” Mrs Zimoto said.

“VAYA understands that in the transport business, the risk of spread of the virus is high as partners interact with many customers daily, and customers also can get exposed as they could get in vehicles where someone who is infected has used.

“We are channelling resources and have put in place protocols to protect our customers have and partners from spreading the virus,” she said.

Efforts are presently being invested in educational programmes to use the safety of both operators and commuters.

“We have drilled them to sanitise the door handles of their vehicles before any customers enter the vehicles, and to sanitise their hands and the hands of passengers before they enter the vehicle.”

Drivers are also being routinely reminded to open windows to improve air circulation.

The company presently has a tie-up with the City of Harare through which the ride-hailing vehicles are intensively disinfected in the mornings and evenings.

Vaya and other companies under the Econet group are reportedly ramping up efforts to raise public safety and awareness.

Mrs Zimoto added: “We are right now in the middle of a campaign to raise public awareness to the pandemic, including the dissemination of information to the public on ways to practice strict personal hygiene, including the regular washing of hands, the use of alcohol-based hand sanitiser, avoiding touching the face, nose and eyes, and practising social distancing.”

Coronavirus belongs to a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

The new virus and diseases were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, late last year.

Coronavirus was declared a global pandemic on March 11 2020.

The disease attacks the respiratory system and its symptoms include shortness of breath, temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius and coughing.

The virus is spread through someone coming into contact with droplets of fluids from an infected person either by touching contaminated surfaces.

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