Older Adults' Mobility Amid COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh: Safety and Perceived Risks of Using Public Transport

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have profound impact on the human activities including mobility and social life globally. Being most vulnerable to Covid-19, the older adults' risk perceptions and safety issues of using public and shared transport is likely to affect their modal choices. Based on 221 participants' responses through a unique online survey in Bangladesh, the study aims to assess older adults' mobility patterns pre and post-lockdown during COVID-19, and perceptions of risks and safety around transport post-lockdown. The results demonstrated that over 50% of respondents were unsure of their risks of contracting the virus. If contracted, 37% respondents felt it could be very critical for them. Only 13% respondents perceived little to no likelihood of contracting it. Non-motorized transport (NMT) modes such as walking and cycling were considered the safest to travel amid pandemic. There was substantial preference for private cars (67%) and rickshaws (54%) over shared modes of transport such as taxis, trains and buses. Older adults perceived that high risks are associated with activities such as using public toilets (92%) and going to a salon (80%), going to a hospital (86%), and fetching water from a public tap (62%). On the other hand, the three lowest-risk activities are going to the office (33%), essential grocery-shopping (19%) and walking as a form of exercise (only 3%). Besides public transport, improved walking infrastructures combined with increased public awareness on the risks of COVID-19 transmission are key to achieve sustainable urban mobility.