Pandemic could put off voters says ex-Speaker
THE turnout for next weekend’s general election could be hit by worries about Covid-19, a former Speaker of Parliament has said.
Dr Sibel Siber, who is also an ex-prime minister, pointed out that scientists have detected that the Omicron variant is transmitted “very quickly” and that the number of cases in the world is “increasing day by day”.
Dr Siber noted that images and videos of political party members, general election candidates and their supporters “travelling from place to place” are being shared on social media, which show them “hugging each other without masks” and “crammed into buses”.
She said that voting in the elections should be done in “outdoor areas” and that everyone should observe social distancing and wear “double masks”.
Noting that scientists have said that surgical masks are “not very effective” against the Omicron variant, Dr Siber recommended using “N95 type masks as much as possible”.
She said that elections
should not be held while the number of Covid-19 cases is high, but that elections are also a “necessity of democracy”.
“Previously, the Presidential elections were postponed [from April 2020 to October 2020] when there were fewer cases. On the other hand, it is pleasing that hospitalisations are not in line with the number of cases. . . As we have seen in our
patients, we know that Omicron is more like an upper respiratory tract infection. Still, it carries risks for the chronically ill and the elderly.”
Dr Siber said that she thinks the general election turnout rate will be lower than previous elections due to the “lack of trust in healthcare and politics” and “the state of the economy and the increase in Covid-19 cases”.
Meanwhile the Cyprus Turkish Medical Association (KTTB) head, Dr Özlem Gürkut, claimed that election campaigning has contributed to the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in the TRNC.
She echoed concerns by Dr Siber that politicians have been on the campaign trail “without following distancing and mask-wearing rules”.
She called on politicians, the Health Minister and the Prime Minister to take heed because the country has “now moved from red to dark-red risk countries but election work continues by ignoring the rules”.
Dr Gürkut also said that the Communicable Diseases High Committee has relaxed rules so that the large number of cases and contacts have less effect on businesses and the economy, taking into consideration Omicron’s “mild course”.
She warned, however, that it “shouldn’t be forgotten that there are still unvaccinated and high-risk people” who could become seriously ill.
“Although it is said that Omicron is like a cold, this doesn’t mean that it will affect patients with chronic illnesses, people in risk groups or the unvaccinated in the same way,” she said. “In addition, there are still other active variants in our country. . . Rules have been made by only thinking about the economy.”
Dr Gürkut also called on people voting in the January 23 general election to take precautions.
“Citizens should definitely get tested if they have [Covid19] symptoms,” she said. “Voting is our civic duty but let’s not endanger anyone.
“Wear your mask properly, follow hand hygiene and keep your distance if there is a crowd. In addition, the people in charge of the ballot boxes must ventilate the voting areas.”