In response to the H1N1 influenza (sometimes referred to as "swine flu") the CTA is taking a number of steps to provide information to employees and customers. The Chicago Department of Public Health, which is in continuous contact with the Illinois Department of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), is monitoring the situation and updating the CTA of any developments associated with the swine flu outbreak.
The CTA has distributed information to employees that includes advice on how to prevent getting the flu, how to identify symptoms and what to do if they feel ill.
Because H1N1 flu is spread through person to person contact, CTA riders are advised to take basic precautions to protect themselves and their fellow riders, including frequent hand washing, covering their mouths or noses with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. The CTA’s deep cleaning procedures include the washing and sanitizing of hand rails, poles and seats and the CTA uses several cleaning agents, including hospital grade disinfectant, that are approved as virucidal against H1N1 flu. Because CTA vehicles are heavily used, the CTA suggests that to keep their hands clean while traveling, riders may want to consider carrying tissues, hand-sanitizing gels or disinfecting wipes.