Better safe, than sorry

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan and his Democratic challenger Shannon Freshour both should stop in-person campaigning in the 4th U.S. Congressional District until further notice. On Monday, the Register postponed a scheduled debate at the Register newsroom between the two candidates because Freshour told the news team she was awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test she'd taken a day before. Jordan, however, refused to cancel and was in the newsroom on Monday despite his potential exposure to the virus from being with President Trump on Air Force One en route to Cleveland on Sept. 29 for the first presidential debate. Jordan said he'd been cleared from having to quarantine by the U.S. Congress Attending Physician's office since a test he took on Friday came back negative, and his exposure to the president was somehow limited. The attending physician, Brian Monahan, however, appears to have not reviewed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines thoroughly. The CDC guidelines clearly state that anyone with exposure — more than 15 minutes with a person who's tested positive — should quarantine for 14 days and a negative test would not change that amount of time. Jordan was on the plane with Trump for more than an hour and likely spent other time with the president, who acknowledged less than two days later that he had tested positive for the virus. It appears Jordan was misinformed about whether he should quarantine. Freshour also failed to quarantine after learning she had similar potential exposure recently and getting tested. As of late Wednesday, she had not received the results of her test. She also appears to have been misinformed about quarantining. Freshour said she had not been contacted by any public health organization conducting contact tracing. Jordan did not say whether he was contacted, but it's unknown if any contact tracing is being conducted related to the president's infection. More than a dozen Trump administration staffers had tested positive for the virus as of Wednesday morning, and it's unknown how many other staffers, Secret Service or other White House employees might be infected or have tested positive. A day after the postponed Register debate between the two candidates, both attended a Rotary Club meeting debate, where Freshour wore a mask and Jordan did not. Until both candidates are cleared from a quarantine period then neither of them should be attending campaign functions in which they come to contact with the public. * Early voting started Tuesday. You can vote in-person at the county elections board offices, ask for an absentee ballot to mail in or drop off anytime before Election Day. The point is, if you plan to vote, plan early as you can. Don't wait or delay. Get it done. Voters also can contact their local county elections board office with any questions that can't be answered through an online visit: • The Huron County Board of Elections office is at 180 Milan Ave. #4, Norwalk, 419-668-8238. https://boe.ottawa.oh.gov/ • The Erie County Board of Elections office is at 2900 Columbus Ave., #101, Sandusky, 419-627-7601. https://www.boe.ohio.gov/erie/ • The Ottawa County Board of Elections office is at 8444 W. State Route 163, #101, Oak Harbor, 419-898-3071. https://boe.ottawa.oh.gov/ • The Sandusky County Board of Elections office is at 2020 Countryside Drive, Fremont, 419-334-6180. https://sanduskycountyoh.gov/index.php?page=board-of-elections*