Health Ministry loosens COVID-19 restrictions for voting purposes

26 Oct 2020

Caption: National National League for Democracy supporters at a campaign rally for the party.

Min Tun | DMG
26 October 2020, Sittwe 

The Ministry of Health and Sports will make an Election Day exception in areas where coronavirus stay-at-home orders are in effect, allowing the gathering of more than 30 people for voting purposes. 

Since August, the ministry has banned gatherings of more than 30 people as part of efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, but an October 25 announcement said that it would permit people to assemble in groups larger than 30 at polling stations on November 8. 

The ministry is also allowing people in areas where stay-at-home orders are in effect to leave their homes to cast early votes. Stay-at-home orders have been in effect in most of the townships of Arakan State and Yangon Region, as well as a number of townships in Mandalay, Bago and Ayeyarwady regions, and Kachin and Mon states. 

In practical terms, however, some say the announcement essentially lifts restrictions that were already loosely enforced. 

“The statement is just a statement. We have seen campaigning in Bamar-majority areas. Some follow COVID-19 health regulations and some don’t. So, there is a difference between the announcement and what is happening on the ground,” said U Khaing Kaung San, a member of an Arakan State election monitoring body. 

Arakan Humanitarian Coordination Team member U Zaw Zaw Tun said large campaign rallies are a public health liability. 

“From a health perspective, it is a cause for concern,” he said. “In reality, all the parties are violating the COVID-19 health regulations to do campaigning. But little action has been taken against those violations. It is a cause for concern. It appears that the government attaches greater importance to the election than to public health.” 

U Zaw Zaw Tun called for the deployment of sufficient numbers of polling station staff and security personnel to keep voting locations orderly, as well as preparing response plans in case of large crowds on Election Day. 

And voter turnout on November 8 may well depend on whether the public views efforts to protect against infection as adequate. 

“I will go and cast a vote only when they can ensure that we can vote separately,” said the chairman of the Sittwe Township community elders’ association, U Maung Thar Sein. “If people are to vote keeping 6 feet apart, voting will not finish in one day. I will go and cast a vote if they can ensure no voters get infected; otherwise, I won’t vote.” 

As of Sunday evening, Myanmar had reported 44,774 COVID-19 cases with 24,920 recoveries and 1,095 deaths.