The most consistent piece of health advice that has been shared with the public since the outbreak of Covid-19 in Australia has been to keep our hands clean, primarily by not touching anything outside our homes. This is because the coronavirus that causes the disease can survive on certain surfaces for hours or even days.
However, some systems, most notably pedestrian crossings, require physical contact to activate, making them potential transmission points for the virus. Transport NSW is now addressing this issue by making many of its pedestrian crossings automated, so no potentially infectious button-pushing is required.
The system was trialled last week in the CBD area around Martin Place, and now, following the success of that pilot, it is being rolled out across greater Sydney around major health precincts and in areas where there are known to be a greater number of vulnerable people, such as the elderly.
The first deployment will begin in Randwick at the Sydney Children’s Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital. This will be followed by Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown, St Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst, the Children’s Hospital in Westmead, before arriving in Liverpool, St Leonards and Blacktown in the next week.