Uber/Ola or your own car: What to do immediately after the Corona lockdown!

Many people in India have started using Ola/Uber instead of driving their own car. There are a lot of advantages to taking a taxi as you do not need to worry about the parking space, maintenance of your car, not getting tired while being stuck in traffic and much more.

But considering current circumstances with spreading coronavirus is it really advisable to take an Ola/Uber to go somewhere?

When we travel through a cab we come in physical contact with many areas that have been touched by many people before you. For instance, window switches, center console and much more. Here are some things that you must follow to protect yourself.

Stay inside

First of all, it is not at all advisable to get out of your house as it is risky. As the coronavirus spreads through air and contact, our government has initiated a lockdown. The most effective way to tackle the coronavirus is to practice social distancing. We have to stay inside our homes for as long as possible. If you need anything from the market, first think if it is important on a day to day basis and avoid it if it is not.

Use own vehicle

We understand that eventually, you may need to get to go outside of the house to buy vegetables, medicines or something that is important for survival. You should use your own vehicle as it will be much cleaner and hygienic when compared to a cab that is shared by many people across a day.

But what if you do not own a personal vehicle or for some reason, you cannot drive it? Well, in such a case you would be forced to take an Ola/Uber but there are some precautions that you can take.

• Wear gloves so that you do not touch some surface that may contain the virus. Wear gloves so that you do not accidentally touch your face and even if you do, the mask will give some protection.
• Use sanitizer liberally and keep disinfecting your hands and surfaces that you are touching often. This will ensure that the virus is not able to survive on the surfaces that you are touching,
• Roll down your windows so that there is enough ventilation in the car. According to WHO, areas with poor ventilation can increase the chance of spreading the disease. Because most of the cars in India does not come with HEPA filters, it is better that air conditioning is turned off as the virus can survive in the air and can travel through the AC vents.

These are some of the things that you need to take care of if you have to travel through an Ola/Uber. Otherwise, please avoid getting outside of your house and if you need to then use your own vehicle. Our best chance against coronavirus is social distancing, staying inside and self-hygiene.