Avoid the subway? Straphangers say you gotta be kidding

Top New York officials Monday urged locals to avoid the subway as the number of coronavirus cases in the state climbed into triple digits.

“I want to assure the public that the subway remains safe,” said Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Patrick Foye, adding, “If you can get around without riding the subway, do it.”

That decree proved to be unreasonable for many of the 5.5 million people who rely on the system every day.

“Is he out of his mind? How can we get around if we can’t take the subway?” asked Delareen Kennedy, a Brooklyn train rider who works in advertising. “I have a car, but I can’t take it to work every day.”

Kennedy said she now uses paper towels to grip the hand rails in subway cars and makes sure to carry hand sanitizer.

Foye last week announced the agency would disinfect every single one of its subway cars and buses every 72 hours, and wipe down surfaces in every subway station on a daily basis to combat the contagion — but many riders remain anxious about catching the disease from crowded trains.

The mayor went a step further, suggesting New Yorkers bike or walk to work instead of cramming onto rush-hour trains.

“How about he gives us two weeks off with pay?” asked Michelle McFadden, 50, who works for the city and was wearing a surgical mask as she climbed out of the Utica Ave. A station Monday afternoon. “We can’t stop taking the subway. We got to go to work.”

Jason Thompson, a school bus driver, said he can’t afford any other means of transportation to get to work.

Jomo Alakoye-Simmons, an acupuncturist, also said it was unrealistic to stop riding. “I’m working on keeping my immune system strong,” he said. “Ultimately that’s what will matter.”

Foye said it was too early to tell whether the fears over coronavirus have caused a dip in ridership.

On her first day as NYC Transit’s interim president, Sarah Feinberg said the “trains seemed a little bit less crowded today than they normally do,” noting she took a very early morning commute.

International travel restrictions and widespread orders for people to work from home suggest the subway would see fewer daily riders — which could put a big dent in the MTA’s bottom line.

“The MTA and its agencies will incur a significant amount of costs in this endeavor,” said Foye. “Our first priority is the health of our customers and our employees.”