Final Word from Thursday, July 30, 2020

The political debate about how to allow those in officially ordered quarantine to vote in this fall's regional and Senate elections exposes some of the absurdities of the government's war against the invisible covid-19 enemy. A person in quarantine is required by law to stay at home, but if he or she lives alone and truly has no other option but to go to the store or walk the dog, it's okay, as long as it lasts no longer than is absolutely necessary. Yet a person who "increases the risk of transmitting or spreading a contagious disease" can go to prison for up to three years. Clearly, if an infected person pops down to the store, he or she runs the risk of infecting other people. Popping down to the polling place presents no greater risk of transmission than going shopping, yet a legal change is being sought so that the elections on Oct. 2-3 don't have to be postponed. The simplest and least-political solution is simply to lift all covid-19 quarantine orders temporarily for the purpose of voting. [ Czech Republic station public health ]