Health expert offers tips for staying safe while casting your vote on Tuesday

>> YOU SHOULD NOT REALLY BE AFRAID TO GO OUT AND VOTE JUST BECAUSE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. CHRISTINE: IN AN INTERVIEW PROVIDED BY OU HEALTH, DR. DREVETS GOES OVER SAFETY MEASURES YOU SHOULD TAKE WHEN HEADING OUT TO THE POLLS. NUMBER ONE, >> WEAR A MASK AND TRY TO STAY SOCIALLY DISTANT IF YOU CAN. A MASK, A SURGICAL MASK SUCH AS WHAT I’M WEARING, IS GOING TO GIVE YOU HIGHER LEVEL OF PROTECTION THAN JUST SAY A BANDANA. CHRISTINE: ALSO, IF YOU CAN, >> >> YOU CAN TAKE SOME HAND SANITIZER WITH YOU AND HAVE GOOD HAND HYGIENE. CHRISTINE: AND IF YOU’RE NOT FEELING WELL, STAY HOME. >> THE TIME THAT YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO GO OUT IN PUBLIC IS IF YOU ARE SICK AND COUGHING. IN THAT SITUATION, YOU REALLY DO WANT TO STAY AT HOME. GET AN ABSENTEE BALLOT, VOTE AHEAD. DO SOMETHING SO YOU’RE NOT PUTTING OTHER PEOPLE AT RISK. CHRISTINE: ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND, ONCE YOU GET INSIDE, >> IN AN OLDER BUILDING, WHERE THE AIRFLOW MAY NOT BE OPTIMAL, YOU DO HAVE TO REALIZE THERE WILL BE AN INCREASED RISK OF CONTAGION, PARTICULARLY IF YOU ARE CLOSE IN CLOSE QUARTERS WITH SOMEBODY. CHRISTINE: ANOTHER SAFETY TIP, BRING YOUR OWN PEN. AND IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE BETWEEN CONTACTS AND GLASSES, DR. DREVETS RECOMMENDS WEARING GLASSES WHICH WILL GIVE YOU MORE PROTECTION F

Protecting yourself and others while voting at the polls is on everyone’s minds amid the coronavirus pandemic and the General Election.In an interview provided by OU Health in Oklahoma, Dr. Douglas Drevets discusses what people should know to stay safe as they cast their ballot.“You should not really be afraid to go out and vote just because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Drevets said.Drevets said the top safety measures people should take when heading out to the polls are to wear a mask and to stay socially distant when possible.“A mask … is going to give you higher level of protection than just say a bandana,” Drevets said.Also if people can, Drevets urges people to “take some hand sanitizer with you and have good hand hygiene.” He added that people who aren’t feeling well should stay home.“The time that you would not want to go out in public is if you are sick and coughing,” Drevets said.One thing Drevets wants people to keep in mind is that once they get inside, “in an older building where the airflow may not be optimal, you do have to realize there will be an increased risk of contagion, particularly if you are in close quarters with somebody.”Officials also urge people to bring their own pen. And if they have a choice between contacts and glasses, Drevets recommends wearing glasses, which will give people more protection from spit particles in the air.

OKLAHOMA CITY —

Protecting yourself and others while voting at the polls is on everyone’s minds amid the coronavirus pandemic and the General Election.

In an interview provided by OU Health in Oklahoma, Dr. Douglas Drevets discusses what people should know to stay safe as they cast their ballot.

“You should not really be afraid to go out and vote just because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Drevets said.

Drevets said the top safety measures people should take when heading out to the polls are to wear a mask and to stay socially distant when possible.

“A mask … is going to give you [a] higher level of protection than just say a bandana,” Drevets said.

Also if people can, Drevets urges people to “take some hand sanitizer with you and have good hand hygiene.” He added that people who aren’t feeling well should stay home.

“The time that you would not want to go out in public is if you are sick and coughing,” Drevets said.

One thing Drevets wants people to keep in mind is that once they get inside, “in an older building where the airflow may not be optimal, you do have to realize there will be an increased risk of contagion, particularly if you are in close quarters with somebody.”

Officials also urge people to bring their own pen. And if they have a choice between contacts and glasses, Drevets recommends wearing glasses, which will give people more protection from spit particles in the air.

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