Local elections will be held in Taiwan on Nov. 26, which is this Saturday. Experts are reminding the public to keep the masks on and refrain from unnecessary conversations with others to prevent the spread of COVID. Washing hands thoroughly after touching the ballots and stamps is also important.
Saturday, Nov. 26 is Election Day. The government has stated that citizens reporting a positive test result from Monday, 21st will not be allowed to vote on Saturday. Former deputy director-general of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Shih Wen-yih said there are bound to be many patients who will choose not to report to the government so they can vote. Those who have recovered for three months or more and have not received the next-generation bivalent vaccine are recommended not to go vote on Saturday, Shih said.
Shih Wen-yih, Former Deputy Director-general, Centers for Disease Control: “These people should carefully consider and protect themselves wisely. The confirmed number of cases will go down recently because obviously, people want to be able to go vote.”
Some health experts say that voting is a disciplined event; people will be wearing masks and keeping social distance. Taiwan's herd immunity level has reached 60 percent so it is safe for most people to go back to living normally. Those with chronic conditions should remain careful but there is no need for over-concern.
Chen Hsiu-hsi, Professor, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University: “People who are immunocompromised or have chronic conditions should remain careful, but you shouldn't worry so much if you've taken a next-generation vaccine. If you caught COVID at the end of June or after, COVID with BA.2 or BA.5, you're pretty much protected from natural infections. ”
Chiang Kuan-yu, Doctor, Taipei City Hospital: “Do your research well on the candidates beforehand, know who you want to vote for and cast your ballot quickly and leave the place. I think that would help greatly decrease the chance of getting infected.”
Doctor Chiang Kuan-yu said people should remember to wash their hands after leaving the voting booth since they will be touching ballots and stamps. Also, the best advice is to keep conversations to a minimum. Voting booth arrangements and queue solutions are essential to lowering the risk for infection.
星期六就是投票日，從21日起確診的民眾，就代表無法出門投票。前疾管局副局長施文儀認為，基於人性，未來幾天沒有主動通報的確診黑數勢必大增，尤其確診痊癒後超過3個月，又沒有接種次世代疫苗的高風險族群，最好不要去投票。
前疾管局副局長施文儀指出：「這些人要慎重地考慮，要做好的保護，做好的評估。那最近（確診人數）會開始下降，很顯然地，大家為了要去投票，很多人會投機取巧。」
不過有學者認為，投票場所是有秩序的活動，民眾也會遵守戴口罩和保持社交距離等原則，加上國人的整體免疫保護力已經有達到60%，一般民眾已經可以回到疫情後的新常態生活，慢性病族群雖然要提高警覺，但不要因噎廢食。
台大公衛學院教授陳秀熙說道：「免疫缺乏的族群，有慢性病這些人，我認為就是說這個部分大家要提高警覺。如果你已經打過次世代疫苗不用擔心，如果你已經6月底以後感染的，包括BA.2跟BA.5也不必擔心，因為有自然感染。」
北市聯醫醫師姜冠宇表示：「事前要看選舉公報，知道自己要投給誰，這樣現場才能夠說投得乾淨俐落，趕快投完趕快閃趕快離開，那我想這樣子就可以把感染的機會大幅地降低。」
醫師姜冠宇表示，因為有接觸選票、印章等物品，離開投票所一定要洗手，就能有效降低染疫風險，而當天投開票所的動線安排也會決定感染風險的高低，高風險族群盡量少跟人接觸聊天。
