77 days until election day 2020. As the country decides between voting by mail or standing in long lines at polling places, health experts say voters will need to weigh the risk. I mean, obviously if your person who is compromised physically or otherwise you don't want to take the chance. The CDC has issued guidelines for polling places this fall. In addition to mandating masks and social distancing, minimize the number of people inside at once, move lines outside if weather permits, constantly disinfect shared objects like pens and ballot activation cards and increase indoor air circulation. But the CDC director has already warned of a dire public health emergency this fall, with the worsening pandemic coupled with the flu season. Dr Thomas Sy is a surgeon and health policy expert at Harvard and Brigham and women's hospital in Boston.
Will it be safe to vote in person come November? Yes, voting in person can be safe but we have to ensure and make it safe. It won't happen naturally. It will take concerted effort to use the best public health guidelines. In 2016, 60 percent of voters voted in person. The MIT Voting Unit says that number could drop to 40 percent this year but expect fewer polling places and longer lines. Despite President Trump's warning that mail in voting is ripe for fraud, election researchers insist that's simply not true. Voter fraud in the united states, for many many years has not been a widespread issue, either by mail or in person. It really is not an issue. To minimize potential COVID exposure, health experts are urging states to set up drive-throughs or secure drop boxes for people who want to deliver their ballots in person.
