Raed Arafat: warning about wearing a mask in local elections

Raed Arafat continues the series of warnings aimed at Romanians regarding the local elections that will be organized at the end of the month in Romania, and says that not wearing a mask represents a danger for those in the polling station, which is perfectly true in the current global context .

Raed Arafat also reiterates that people not wearing a mask will not be allowed in to vote in the elections that take place at the end of September, so you need to know this in advance if you dare to go to one polling station to cast your vote.

"Discussions about wearing a mask and about the obligation to wear a mask upon entering the voting station continue, invoking the right to vote even if a voter does not want to wear a mask inside the voting station. I emphasize that at the entrance to the voting station, a reserve of masks must be provided for those who, for one reason or another, arrive at the voting station without a mask.

Now let's analyze this dispute maintained artificially and for no real reason:

We are talking about a hypothetical situation of a person who does not want to wear a mask. The person in question arrives at the polling station and insists on entering to vote but without a mask. From the point of view of public health, the person in question is a possible source of infection for other people in the voting station, respectively the members of the commission and the voters who are in the station. The respective person represents a risk for others and a threat to their health, even if the respective person does not believe and does not admit this fact.

Let's take another hypothetical situation: A person shows up at the polling station with a weapon in sight, not having been convicted and having the right to vote at the time; Do we let her enter the polling station to vote or is she stopped at the entrance to protect the people inside?

The capital newspaper publishes an article today stating that I would be humiliated by Mr. Zegrean because he had stated that we cannot stop anyone unless we have a legal basis. Nothing to dispute, and nothing to humiliate, here is the legal argument:

Wearing a mask in public institutions is legislated. The voting station is a public institution and at the same time it is in a closed space, so wearing a mask in the respective station is mandatory in accordance with Law 55 of 2020, article 13 which provides the following:

During the state of alert, by joint order of the Minister of Health and the Minister of Internal Affairs, the following can be instituted:

a) the obligation to wear a protective mask in closed public spaces, commercial spaces, public transport and at work;

b) the obligation to organize the activity of public institutions and authorities, economic operators and professionals, so that upon entering the premises, the epidemiological triage and mandatory hand disinfection are ensured, both for the own staff and for visitors. For our own staff, the epidemiological triage consists of measuring the temperature with a non-contact thermometer, and for visitors, the triage is carried out by measuring the temperature."

Thus, the Government Decision issued yesterday and the joint order of the Minister of Health and the Minister of Internal Affairs are based on a Law, namely Law 55 of 2020!

In conclusion, for our own sake, let's put aside the disinformation and manipulations, let's be wiser than those who try to use us as a tool or a product for ratings, for profit or for other interests, and look at what's happening over all around us and in the world putting only one interest before us, namely that of the community and those close to us.

The number of cases is increasing in several countries, in Romania we have daily over 1000 cases and a significant number of deaths due to Sars-Cov2 infection. Our responsibility, all of us, is to protect each other and to do everything possible to get through this situation together, which will last longer. The protective measures are not that difficult to apply and the rules do not differ from those in other countries. In the end, all that is required is compliance with the rules, even if they are not convenient for some.

Just as we must respect the speed limit so as not to endanger the lives of others, even if we like speed, we must respect the public health rules during a pandemic even if they do not suit us. The respective rules have a single purpose, namely the protection of public health, the health of the community, of those around us, including our loved ones. Even if we are not interested in our own health, even if we do not believe what we are told and have other opinions than those of specialists and experts, we have no right to endanger the health of others!"