DOH asks voters with COVID-19 symptoms on Election Day: Stay home

The Department of Health on Thursday advised voters exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms to stay at home and refrain from going  out during the May 9 Election Day.

In an interview on ANC, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Health department has always advised those having symptoms to self-regulate by staying at home to avoid transmitting the virus to others.

“We all know that elections and voting would be very important for every Filipino. Gusto natin i-exercise natin ‘yung right na ‘yan. Pero kapag tayo ay may sintomas na, hindi po natin pwedeng ipilit kasi you might be infecting other people," she said.

(We know that exercising our right to vote is important. But when you have symptoms, you can't insist on doing so because you might be infect other people.)

But Vergeire clarified: “I just want to be clear on that. The DOH is advising people, if you have symptoms, do not go out and go to your precincts baka po kasi tayo magkaron ng pagkakahawa-hawaan diyan" (infections might occur).

She further underscored the people’s cooperation on this matter as there will be crowding in polling precincts on election day.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier reminded the voters to comply with the minimum public health standards in polling places on Election Day to prevent another COVID-19 surge in the country, considering the separate warnings of the DOH and OCTA Research of a possible increase in COVID-19 infections.

However, in early April, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Aimee Torrefranca-Neri said that the poll body is planning to set up "isolation polling places" for voters showing COVID-19 symptoms during Election Day. —LBG, GMA News