"The results of yesterday's rapid tests declared 220 officers reactive, and they have now been isolated," Tasikmalaya General Election Office (KPU) Commissioner Isti'anah stated here on Tuesday.
Isti'anah noted that the Tasikmalaya KPU made it mandatory for all election administration officers to undergo rapid tests to confirm they were in sound health and not tested positive for COVID-19.
The Tasikmalaya KPU commissioner stated that officers, with reactive rapid test results, were immediately subject to swab tests and had to undergo isolation whilst awaiting test results.
"Those found reactive are in good health, and they have now been isolated. If the swab results are negative, then they are allowed to work. However, if they are positive, they cannot work," he stated.
Isti'anah noted that if swab test results of the reactive officers were yet unknown until the polling day on December 9, 2020, voting could nonetheless be held by optimizing the number of officers available, as it is difficult to find a replacement.
Tasikmalaya is organizing the district head elections being contested by four pairs of candidates.
The General Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) earlier stated that people, who had tested positive for COVID-19, will be allowed to exercise their right to vote during the 2020 simultaneous regional head elections (pilkada). Bawaslu will supervise the process, so that COVID-19 patients can vote in the elections, Chairman of Bawaslu, Abhan, stated recently.
Election officers will visit the patients either at their homes if they are undergoing independent isolation or at hospitals, he informed.
Those testing positive for COVID-19 will not lose their voting rights, and the KPU (General Elections Commission) must continue to serve them," Abhan emphasized.
He confirmed that election officers will serve voters, starting from 12 p.m. Western Indonesian Standard Time (WIB), or an hour before the close of voting.
Meanwhile, voters with recorded body temperature above 37.3 degree Celsius will not be permitted to enter polling stations (TPS), he stated.
The 2020 pilkada will be organized simultaneously on December 9, 2020, in 270 regions in Indonesia, covering nine provinces, 224 districts, and 37 cities.
A total of 734 nominee pairs have registered as candidate pairs for the polls.
Related news: Bawaslu: COVID-19 patients can vote in pilkada
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Feri, Fardah
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
