Récord de contagios de coronavirus a dos días de las elecciones
Jamaica registra récord de contagios por la Covid-19
Jamaica registró ayer dos mil 357 casos confirmados de la Covid-19, luego de reportarse el fin de semana 488 positivos al SARS-CoV-2.
De acuerdo con el ministerio de Salud y Bienestar, la nación caribeña acumuló 141 contagios el viernes, 102 el sábado y ayer registró 245 nuevos positivos para superar por primera vez la cifra de 200 enfermos en una jornada desde el comienzo de la pandemia en la isla.
Hasta este momento, Jamaica brinda atención sanitaria a mil 374 casos activos a la Covid-19, incluidos 14 pacientes moderadamente enfermos y cuatro en estado crítico, para complejizar el escenario epidemiológico a tres días de las elecciones generales del 3 de septiembre.
La autoridad de salud anunció un nuevo fallecido en las últimas 24 horas y el número de muertes asociadas al virus ascendió a 21; mientras, 890 personas están recuperadas lo que representa el 42,1 por ciento con respecto al total de enfermos reportados.
Según las estadísticas, el país caribeño tiene ahora 455 casos con fuente de infección en el extranjero, 606 contactos de enfermos confirmados, 212 por transmisión local no relacionados epidemiológicamente, 236 vinculados al brote en el centro de llamadas de St. Catherine y 848 están bajo investigación.
A pocas horas para la conclusión del octavo mes del año, Jamaica presenta un alza de más de mil 452 contagios con respecto a los 905 informados el 4 de agosto pasado.
El ministerio de Salud y Bienestar solicitó a los jamaicanos prestar atención a la práctica de las medidas de prevención y control de infecciones con el propósito de contener la propagación de la pandemia.
Asimismo, el gobierno insiste a los visitantes y residentes jamaicanos a cumplir con las órdenes de cuarentena, así como en el lavado frecuente de las manos, el distanciamiento social y el uso de la máscara facial en público.
A high level of compliance to COVID-19 protocols was observed during voting on Monday by special services electors.
Polls closed at 4 o’clock.
Members of the security forces cast their ballots at 28 polling stations while there were 169 polling stations for election day workers.
When Radio Jamaica News visited some of the polling stations, electors were seeing wearing masks. Their temperatures were checked and hands sanitised before they were allowed to enter the polling stations.
Director of Elections Glasspole Brown told Radio Jamaica News earlier that there were minor challenges Monday morning relating to COVID-19 protocols, however, these were addressed.
There were also complaints from some police officers that their names were not on the voters’ list.
Senior Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay, head of the Jamaica Constabulary Force Corporate Communications Unit, said police officers who were unable to vote today will be allowed to do so on Thursday.
«Depending on the time when you joined the police force, your name may end up on the civilian’s list. So in those instances, special arrangement has been made for those police officers to vote on election day, so as not to disenfranchise them from exercising their right to vote,» she said.
Speaking on Radio Jamaica’s Beyond the Headlines late Monday afternoon, the Director of Elections said apart from that mishap with some members of the security forces, there was no major incident reported.
He said the voter turnout was «fairly moderate» with about 27 per cent turnout up to midday.
Some 31,084 Election Day workers, 11,512 police officers, and 4,181 soldiers were eligible to vote.
Jamaica elige gobierno en medio de la pandemia – Por Nicolás Retamar
The People’s National Party has a steep hill to climb ahead of Thursday’s general election, as the Jamaica Labour Party still has a double digit lead going into the national poll.
Just over three weeks after an RJRGLEANER Don Anderson poll found that the gap had widened between the JLP and PNP, the team was back in the field from August 21 to August 24 to see whether things had changed.
This time, it found that the PNP, has made up some ground, but still lags far behind.
When the team, led by pollster Don Anderson, surveyed voting intention from July 23 to August 3, the data showed that the Jamaica Labour Party had doubled its lead on the People’s National Party, moving from an eight point lead in February, to 16 points.
At that time, 36 per cent of electors had said they would vote for the JLP, while only 20 per cent said they would vote for the PNP, and 43 per cent either weren’t voting or weren’t sure which party they would vote for.
That was before the election date was announced.
But Mr. Anderson said the picture has changed slightly since then, based on the latest poll.
Now, the data shows that the PNP has narrowed the gap from 16 percentage points to 12 percentage points.
The JLP has gained one percentage point, moving to 37 per cent of persons who say they will vote for the party. However, the PNP has gained five percentage points in favourability, jumping to 25 per cent.
The PNP therefore had a net gain of four percentage points.
Still, Mr. Anderson said it appears unlikely that the parties will be able to woo the 38 per cent of electors who have indicated they will not vote or are unsure.
When asked what they thought either party could do to encourage them to go out and vote, the largest segment of that group – 40 per cent – said there is nothing either party could do to convince them to vote.
Another 28 per cent they would vote if either party could convince them that they could create more economic opportunity, while 25 per cent said they would vote if a party could improve the infrastructure. Fourteen said they needed to see the member of parliament more in their area.
Voter turnout
Mr. Anderson also noted that while the poll suggests that 62 per cent of electors plan to vote for either party, he expects actual turnout to be much lower, especially due to the coronavirus.
The voter turnout in the last general election in 2016 was 47.7 per cent – the lowest in Jamaica’s history.
«Now, we are going into an election under the most adverse conditions possible, so that whereas we have a pretty high intention to vote number now, it is unlikely that we will have even a 47 per cent turnout because of COVID, because of a number of other factors, but primarily because COVID is going to put a damper on people’s willingness and preparedness to go out to vote,» he explained.
Reasons for voting
In the meantime, 41 per cent of those who say they will vote for the Jamaica Labour Party say they think the party can manage the country better.
Another 37 per cent believe the party will do a good job; 33 per cent said it is the best party; 26 per cent believe the country is progressing under the JLP; and 25 per cent said they always voted for the JLP and will continue to do so.
For the People’s National Party, a large chunk of its support continues to be from people who vote based on tradition.
Forty-five per cent of respondents said they always voted for the PNP and will vote for them again; 35 per cent said the PNP is the best party; 27 per cent said it is the party for the people; 23 per cent said the party can manage the country better and 18 per cent said the PNP will do a good job.
COVID-19 not affecting voting choice
The overwhelming majority of persons surveyed said the COVID-19 pandemic has not impacted their voting decision.
According to Mr. Anderson, 71 per cent of persons interviewed said the pandemic had done nothing to change their choice of who to vote for.
Ten per cent said it helped them decide not to vote.
However, Mr. Anderson said 19 per cent of respondents were impacted by the pandemic in their voting decision. Of that group, 14 per cent of persons said it has convinced them to vote for the JLP, while five per cent said it has lead them to vote for the PNP.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus three per cent.
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