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Editorial

COVID-19 and the senatorial election

IF THE CURRENT post-election atmosphere in the United States of America that has seen serious surge in the coronavirus pandemic across several states with daily death toll hitting nearly a million is something to gauge, then Liberians should exercise every caution during this campaign period leading to the actual poll on December 8, 2020 to avoid a resurge of the virus in the country.

PARTICULARLY LAST WEEKEND saw mass gathering of partisans and supporters of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change here at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville City outside Monrovia to officially launch its campaign for the senatorial and representatives’ by-elections. Party loyalists draped in predominantly blue and white T-shirts matched by red and blue berets converged from various parts of Monrovia and outside the capital for the launch clustering the stadium to capacity.

JUST DAYS BEFORE, ON Wednesday, 18 November Bomi County Disatrict#1 Representative also Independent Senatorial Candidate Edwin Melvin Snowe, who had been campaigning in is county, reportedly tested positive of the virus and immediately went into self-quarantine at his residence though according to him, he had never felt any signs and symptoms.

REP. SNOWE, A senior member of the ECOWAS Parliament, was expected to have attended a meeting in Lome, Togo when he went for routine test at the government facility here and was subsequently pronounced positive, effectively banning him from traveling abroad.

WITH BARELY TWO weeks before actual voting day on December 8th , the need for all Liberians, particularly partisans and supporters of rival parties and candidates to exercise caution and ensure full compliance of all health measures cannot be over emphasized. We don’t want a scenario in which after the poll this country could slip back to compulsory lockdown, as we experienced before.

AND THIS MAY likely happen, if care is not taken now, especially as we prepare to celebrate Christmas after the elections that would be characterized by victory euphoria from the poll.

LIBERIA’S MINISTER OF Health Doctor Wilhelmina Jallah, addressing a press briefing in Monrovia last week disclosed re-emergence of the virus, particularly in Montserrado County and elsewhere in the country, stressing strict adherence to all health protocols including wearing nose mask, social distancing and regular hands washing, among others.

ENFORCING THESE REGULATIONS should not only be left with health authorities along; political party leaders and candidates equally have a responsibility to educate their followers by wearing masks in public and observing social distancing themselves.

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THESE ELECTIONS WILL come and pass, but how we conduct ourselves as a nation importantly, amid the global pandemic would go a long away in determining our continuous stability health-wise, politically and economically.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT everyone takes cue from Rep. Snowe, who should have been out there campaigning, but is now constrained to self-quarantine for two weeks before being cleared by the Health Ministry to resume normal public activity, pray God that he wouldn’t miss the election.

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