MTA Was 'Major Disseminator' Of Coronavirus In NYC, Study Argues

NEW YORK CITY — An MIT study argues New York City's public transit system was a “major disseminator” of novel coronavirus and the spread was made worse by decisions to cut service.

The mid-March fall in ridership and the successive slow of COVID-19' exponential spread is evidence of a connection between the two, argues MIT economics professor Jeffrey Harris in his analysis released Wednesday.

“New York City’s multitentacled subway system was a major disseminator – if not the principal transmission vehicle,” wrote Harris.

"The parallel between the continued high ridership on MTA subways and the rapid, exponential surge in infections during the first two weeks of March at best supports the hypothesis that the subways played a role."

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The MIT report also takes umbrage with the MTA's decision in late March to decrease service by 75 percent as ridership fell and the agency faced a $125 million loss per week.

"The Metropolitan Transit Authority’s decision to cut back its train service to accommodate the reduced demand may have indeed helped to shore up the agency’s financial position," Harris writes.

"But it most likely accelerated the spread of coronavirus throughout the city."

The MTA strongly disputes Harris's findings and points to another correlation with the COVID-19 data, namely Gov. Andrew Cuomo's stay-at-home order which went into effect on March 20.

“As everyone knows and as the author makes clear in his own report, correlation does not establish causation," said MTA Chief Communications Officer Abbey Collins.

"This study is flawed – period.”

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