Which option is safest (travelling to hospital for pregnancy scan without a car)

[SandwichLunch]

Hi,

DH and I live in a small town and don't have a car, which has never been an issue in the past as our town has good public transport links. I am currently pregnant and have my 12 week scan this week coming and need to get to the next town along where the hospital is.

I'm fairly healthy but being both pregnant and asthmatic I'm trying to be as careful as possible and have only left the house for exercise since before lockdown.

My options as I see them:

1. Get the bus. Am afraid about the fact the bus service says they are staying working mainly to help key workers get to work, so am concerned a lot of potentially contagious people may have been on it.
   
   
2. Get a taxi. Am worried that the risk of contamination would be higher as the air recirculates in a car which presumably puts me at a higher risk. I also don't know how long I will be in the hospital so don't know what I'd do about getting a taxi back??
   
   
3. Get a lift from my sibling, who lives an hour and a half from me, and shares custody of a toddler with a teacher who is working with key workers' children, so obviously there is some risk, but my main concern is that my sibling would have to drive for 1.5 hours to get to me, then 45 mins to get to the hospital, then 45 mins back to my house, then 1.5 hours back to their house, which is a lot to ask and massively more driving than they are used to in one go. Sibling does not currently know I'm pregnant as I wasn't going to tell anyone until after the scan.
   
   If anyone has any other ideas, please please help, or let me know what you'd do?
   
   I can't ask a friend as my only friend is shielding. Never wished I have a car so much in my life!
   
   Thanks in advance.

[Pelleas]

I had a similar conversation with my elderly parents as my dad had a hospital appointment (they are shielding due to age, obviously). We concluded the bus would be the lesser of evils as it's likely to be more meticulously cleaned than a taxi and (apparently) buses are virtually empty in their area so it's easy to maintain social distancing.

They did take the bus (both has to go as dad has early dementia) and reported there was only one other passenger on it.

It might be worth trying to gauge how busy buses in your area are to help you decide what's best.

[AveEldon]

get a taxi and keep the windows open

[daisypond]

Bus or taxi.

[Clymene]

Get a taxi

[cinammonbuns]

Taxi, the doors open when people get in and get out, it’s not completely recycled air. I’m wondering why you couldn’t just call a taxi to get back?

[negomi90]

Bus - they won't be full especially at peak times so you can social distance.. Take hand sanitiser with you and don't touch things.

[ChipsAreLife]

Buses around here are always empty so that could be a good option. They're also cleaned very well

[Spied]

Taxi. Sit in the back with windows open.
Then just phone when you need picking up?

[Alessi89]

Bus or taxi should be fine. Just take sensible precautions like wearing a decent mask and gloves.

[Clymene]

Yes that's true about buses being empty. And then you can get a taxi or bus home again.

Honestly, the risk from either is very, very low if you wash your hands, don't touch your face and respect social distancing.

[ragged]

the public transport is very empty where I live so I would take that from here.