Dr. Chad Sanborn, board-certified in pediatric infectious diseases at KIDZ Medical Services has been a consistent voice of steady information since the onset of the coronavirus. We were able to talk with him and get his advice for voting safely during the pandemic.
Here are his important tips:
- Wear a mask and social distance!
Most, if not all voting precincts will involve long lines and lots of people around. Most of these sites involve waiting indoors for at least a portion of the time. Obviously, all people have been hearing for the last 6-7 months is to stay away from crowded indoor spaces. Being indoors for prolonged periods with others will be unavoidable in many polling places, so wear a mask to mitigate the risk of virus spread, and try to keep your distance (at least six feet if possible) from other voters while standing on line. Even if it’s a really long line.
- Try to avoid peak time
Similar to the above, if at all possible, try to avoid the prime hours. This includes the first thing in the morning before work and late in the day after work. Each voting precinct will be different depending on part of the country, population density and demographics. As far as infection risk goes, you don’t want to be at the polling place when everyone else is. Do your homework and ask around about when the traditionally busy times may be where you plan to vote, and if at all possible, go at more “off” hours.
- Bring your own pen/pencil
Again, do your homework and read your sample ballot to see what is acceptable as a writing instrument – blue pen, black pen, pencil or all three. If not sure, bring both a pen and a pencil. While there will be pens and pencils available to use but there may be a higher chance that others have touched them even if by accident. The virus spreads most effectively via a droplet route, but contact transmission is also possible. Bringing your own writing instrument will decrease the risk of acquiring coronavirus by this route.
- Bring your own sanitizer
There should hopefully be an abundant amount of hand sanitizer available at your polling place, but long days and high voter turnout could diminish this supply. It’s a really good idea to bring your own extra sanitizer to be sure about things just in case. Sanitize your hands before AND after voting so you don’t catch the virus and possibly unintentionally expose others by touching surfaces in the voting booth that others will come in contact with.
- Take advantage of early voting, absentee and mail-in ballots
All politics and controversy aside, from an infectious disease standpoint, if you mail in your ballot you are less likely to be exposed to infection. Period. Similarly, if you take advantage of early voting, even if this is popular, the crowds will be spread out over several days. So, in theory, there should be less viral exposure at the polling place.
These two means of voting maybe even more important if you are taking medications that may weaken your immune system or have a poorly controlled chronic illness. Again, make sure you do your homework and ask around to try to early vote away from peak times at the polling place as well.
- Talk less?
This is a strange one and sounds ridiculous, and maybe not all will agree, but it may be a good idea to kind of “keep to yourself.” Wearing a mask and social distancing mitigates this risk, but talking, shouting and singing are known to increase the spread of viral particles.
So, maybe Election Day isn’t the best time to chat with everyone on line, especially in such a politically charged climate where conversations could get…heated. “Less talk” would be extra important if you have any symptoms of cough, nasal congestion or feel sick.
I don’t want to absolutely say “don’t vote,” as voting is super important and every vote counts, but if you do have symptoms please, please, please be extra cautious, clean your hands, keep your mask on and socially distance – keep a low profile so as not to infect others. In general, love your brothers and sisters, talk, joke and celebrate with them, maybe just not so much in a crowded stressful indoor environment in the midst of a pandemic.
Chad Sanborn, MD, Board-certified in pediatric infectious diseases, KIDZ Medical Services.
Dr. Sanborn attended Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island for his undergraduate studies in biology and received his medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark.
He completed a pediatric residency followed by a three-year pediatric infectious disease fellowship at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he received extensive training with immunosuppressed and HIV-affected patients.
Dr. Sanborn has been working as a pediatric infectious disease physician in Palm Beach County for more than 10 years. He treats patients with a wide range of infectious diseases such as MRSA, recurrent fevers, skin and bone infections, parasitic infections, HIV, recurrent viral infections and also provides counsel in travel medicine.
https://www.kidzmedical.com/
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