COVID-19 — Blog — Peter Cavicchia

As we enter October, it is safe to say that 2020 has been a year full of unexpected challenges. That puts it mildly. The COVID-19 pandemic reoriented how we behave in our daily lives, forcing us to reconsider our personal security and what we do to keep others safe.

Among other things, this impacted how we travel. It’s been well reported that public transportation has suffered as less people opt to ride buses and trains, sheltering in place at home or looking for alternate ways to get from point A to point B.

That being said, across the country, local transit authorities have gone to great lengths to not only ensure adherence to public health protocols like wearing masks and disinfecting trains and buses, but they have even been limiting the capacity of travelers per vehicle. In most cases, they’ve been marking seating clearly with directional signs to ensure riders practice social distancing.

The Scientific American reports that little evidence exists to show public transportation poses an increased risk for contracting the coronavirus, largely due to all of these measures that have been put in place.

What can you do to ensure your own security and protect the health and well-being of others around you? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that those who use public transportation need to practice proper hygiene — wash your hands — wear a mask, sit away from others, and if you are feeling sick, look out for your fellow travelers by staying home.

Beyond COVID-19, you should also be wary of normal, pre-pandemic travel concerns when riding a subway or a public bus. These common sense concerns should especially be at the front of college students’ minds, particularly freshman who might be traveling and living away from home for the first time this fall. Loyola University Chicago provides some key tips. They include:

Sit near the bus driver if possible.
Chose an aisle seat so you can get up and leave quickly if a problem arises.
When waiting for transportation, choose a well-lit space so you aren’t waiting alone in the dark, particularly at night.
Don’t fall asleep while traveling — be vigilant.

Essentially, the pandemic has made us more cognizant of public safety when on our commutes. While a difficult time, this is a positive thing — it emphasizes that people need to act in the greater good to keep themselves and others safe.

As soon as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it turned everyday life completely on its head. From stay-at-home-orders to increasing demands being placed on healthcare workers, it has been a difficult time. It’s also made taking care of one’s health a top priority. Now, another threat brought about by this coronavirus outbreak comes in the form of online phishing scams. It means that beyond being vigilant about your physical health, you need to now focus on protecting your digital safety and privacy.

An April report from the Verge reveals that Google saw more than 18 million daily malware and email phishing scams tied to COVID-19. The tech giant says this is in addition to the 240 million spam messages per day people have been receiving since the outbreak emerged. What do they look like? The scams often impersonate official messages from government organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Protect yourself from this cybercrime

The CDC reports that people have been receiving phone calls and voicemails that look like they are coming from them. Many ask for donations. They say that cyber criminals are sending phishing emails with malware-containing links that can steal your private information and seize control of healthcare IT systems. How are these criminals able to pull this off? Apps and free websites make it relatively easy to make it look like you’re getting a call or an email directly from the CDC.

The CDC lays out some recommendations to protect yourself from this cybercrime:

Don’t open the email. If you don’t recognize the address the message is from, don’t open it or any associate attachments.
Avoid links. Don’t click on a link from any suspicious email. If the address looks legitimate, consider re-typing it in a browser window just in case.
Hold onto your data. Don’t send anyone your personal information or passwords.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security suggests that you should always be wary of strange emails that place a time limit over your head. If you’re told you have 24 hours to respond, ignore it. “Criminals often threaten you with fines or other negative consequences,” the DHS writes.

They also suggest that you should be cautious on how a particular email might make you feel — trust your gut. If you feel panic, fear, or an unusual level of curiosity based on the language included from an unfamiliar sender, practice caution.