AT a Beijing “disinfection station”, a ride-hailing driver installs a plastic shield between the front and rear seats of his car to reassure passengers amid the deadly Covid-19 outbreak.

Zhao Haijun, a Didi Chuxing driver, said the shield helps isolate him from passengers, and prevents the virus from being spread through droplets in the air.

“Now, I don’t chat with passengers.

“In an extraordinary period, it’s better to be careful.”

The e-hailing giant has nine disinfection stations in the capital, each of which can sterilise around 400 vehicles a day.

In addition, there are also 46 plastic-shield installation points around the city, each handling up to 100 cars daily.

China has implemented unprecedented measures to contain the spread of the virus – which has killed more than 2,600 people in the mainland – including locking down tens of millions of people in Hubei province, the disease’s epicentre.

There are also tight restrictions on transport.

Across the country, residential buildings, offices and shopping centres are regularly spraying disinfectant, and checking the temperature of visitors.

In Beijing, all taxi drivers have to wear masks, must direct customers to sit in the back, and disinfect their cars twice a day.

However, Didi – which said it has 30 million drivers and more than 550 million users across its various services – is hoping to reassure customers with its extra measures.

Wang Weijia, a driver service manager at Didi Beijing, told AFP that given the current mood, even a sneeze “could cause tension between the driver and passenger”.

Staff in protective suits spray medical disinfectant inside and outside the vehicles, while handles, pedals and steering wheels are doused in cleaning fluid.

After attaching the dividing shield, Didi staff also post a health reminder with a cartoon of a car with a large red heart next to it.

“Safety means protection, and love can cross the plastic cover,” said the notice.

Apart from visiting the disinfection stations, Zhao said he also takes his own measures.

“When the passengers get out, I open the window to ventilate, and I disinfect before I receive a new order.” – AFP, February 25, 2020.