People who have tested positive for COVID-19 can still vote in person on Election Day, according to guidelines issued Sunday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Voters have the right to vote, regardless of whether they are sick or in quarantine,” according to the updated guidelines. Turning voters away from the polls is illegal under federal law and considered voter intimidation, according to The Washington Post.
Health officials recommend that people who are sick take steps to protect poll workers and others, including wearing masks, keeping distance from others and washing their hands before and after voting.
>> Related: What kind of mask should you wear to vote in-person on Election Day?
“You should also let poll workers know that you are sick or in quarantine when you arrive at the polling station,” the CDC advised.
Health officials recommend that people voting on Election Day avoid close contact with others, especially those who are not wearing masks, and that they wear masks around others. Officials also recommend that people be cautious about touching surfaces and wash their hands or use hand sanitizer often.
The CDC encouraged people to bring their own supplies, including an extra mask, tissues, water and a black ink pen, with them when they go to the polls. Health officials also recommend that voters bring filled-out registration forms or sample ballots with them.
>> Related: Presidential election 2020: What to do if you are denied the right to vote?
Nearly 100 million people have already cast their votes ahead of Election Day, according to the University of Florida’s U.S. Elections Project.
The U.S. continues to lead the world with the most number of coronavirus cases and the highest number of deaths. As of Tuesday, more than 9.2 million people nationwide have been diagnosed with the viral infection and over 231,000 people have died, according to numbers compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Globally, more than 47 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported, causing over 1.2 million deaths.
Cox Media Group
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