Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on 27 March that it’s best to give six months for the whole COVID-19 situation to settle first before holding the next General Election (GE), adding that the United States (US) carried on with primary elections in most of its states.
Following that, Facebook user Victor Teoh on Monday (30 March) posted on Facebook to point out that one of the states in the US has seen an increase of COVID-19 cases after its primary election.
Mr Teoh, who is the Managing Director of RecruitPlus Consulting Pte Ltd, posted a screenshot of articles pertained to two poll workers in Florida, US being tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and subsequently, Florida’s infected cases increased to 4,038 which is more than a fivefold increase from the week before.
He posted a screenshot of articles pertained to two poll workers in Florida, US being tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and subsequently, Florida’s infected cases increased to 4,038 which is more than a fivefold increase from the week before.
“Well, two Florida poll workers got infected and thereafter Florida infection cases shot through the roof with a 5-fold increase. This is best evidence why we should not proceed with a GE now. I rest my case,” he wrote.
Mr Teoh added, “PS Kudos to Democrats for postponing at least 15 primaries. I have posted a few days ago that UK, Russia and Serbia have deferred their elections too.”
According to The Intercept’s report, two poll workers who were stationed at polls in Broward County were tested positive for the COVID-19 virus after the state’s primary election on 17 March. Due to that, 16 poll workers who worked alongside them have been contacted by the supervisor’s office.
A spokesperson from the Broward County Supervisor of Elections claimed that one of the infected workers was “a greeter, and would not have been required to come into proximity or contact with any of the 204 voters”, while the other worker was in charge to check in voters and likely handled the ID cards of some of the 61 voters.
In the article, it was highlighted that thousands have called for the primaries in Florida, Illinois, Arizona, and Ohio to be postponed to May. But three states – Florida, Illinois, and Arizona – proceeded with the primary, while Ohio decided to set a mail-in primary election on 28 April.
In a separate article, USA Today reported on 28 March that the death tolls in Florida have reached 56 in total and the COVID-19 cases surged to 4,038 cases, more than a fivefold increase from the week before.
Due to the surge of infected cases, Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis asked the state’s surgeon general, Dr Scott Rivkees to send a public health alert to all residents.
“Protect yourself. Now is not the time to go outside. Don’t get involved in any big crowds, use this time to protect yourself,” DeSantis noted in a live-streamed briefing.
Dr Rivkees advised those aged 65 and above, as well as those with underlying medical conditions to stay at home and avoid crowds, adding that everyone should practice social distancing.
Meanwhile, Mr Teoh also tagged the former Straits Times editor and author Bertha Henson at the end of his Facebook post, saying “Bertha Henson, are you convinced yet?”
Previously on 29 March, Ms Henson posted on Facebook to express her support for the next GE to be held despite the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating democracies require regular elections as it keeps the Government ‘accountable’.
“What people are asking for is that the G continues whatever it does cos we are afraid that we’ll catch the virus. That it can get as draconian (or as lax) as it wants, because there’s no need for an election to show that people have faith in whatever it does,” Ms Henson stated.
She added, “If polling can be done safely, why not? This is what the G needs to assure us of.”
