Voters who are found exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19 should be referred to their respective local government units (LGUs) after they cast their votes in the upcoming May 9 elections, the Department of Health (DOH) asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said such a move will help prevent the transmission of Covid-19 virus in case they contracted the disease.
“Huwag po natin i-release kasi baka saan pa magpunta, makapanghawa (Let us not release them immediately as they might go somewhere else and transmit ),” said Vergeire during a forum on Wednesday, April 20.
“Maigi, makuha na nung ating local government, matest siya, ma-quarantine siya hanggang kung negative siya, pwedeng marelease. Pag positive, ima-manage na po natin (It would be better to refer them to our local government to have them tested, quarantined, and released if they are negative or if they are positive, then they will be managed accordingly),” she added.
Earlier, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said a health screening will be conducted before a voter can proceed in casting his or her vote. Isolation polling places will be set up in voting centers for those individuals who will show coronavirus symptoms on election day.
Vergeire also recommended that the Comelec set a time limit for voters’ stay in the voting centers to avoid crowding.
“The challenge would be people flocking to the voting centers. That’s the primary challenge...Yung crowding kailangan natin ma-prevent (We need to prevent crowding) during this time,” she said.
“Siguro ang isang rekomendasyon ko, baka meron time limit. Kasi minsan diba it takes too long for a person to cast their votes, nakipag kwentuhan pa doon sa mga kakilala sa loob. So baka dapat limitado tayo—10 minutes, 15 minutes, I don’t know...so that we can minimize yung pagkakasama-sama ng tao sa isang pwesto (My recommendation is there should be a time limit. It is because sometimes it takes too long for a person to cast their votes, some are talking to other individuals. So, maybe we should limit the voting time to 10 minutes, 15 minutes, I don't know--- so that we can minimize the number of people in one place),” she said.
Vergeire also recommended having “safety officers” in every voting center “aside from the marshalls.”
The Health official said that the other safety measures for the elections are now in place.
“Lahat ng protocols natin in place na (All our protocols are in place). What we just need to do now would be for us to be able to enforce it properly,” she said.