The CDC study of the impact on voters in Milwaukee revealed that 33% fewer deaths were reported three weeks after the elections than earlier in April.

“After a peak in hospitalizations during the last week in March, hospitalizations gradually declined,” said the analysis, stressing that the CDC’s guidance urging physical distancing, cleaning and disinfecting at the polls appeared to have worked.

The CDC report said a longer voting period and increased number of polling locations in November could help reduce the number of people at the polls and the risk of transmission of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus that is blamed for the deaths of more than 163,000 people in the U.S.

“The data from Milwaukee provide preliminary evidence to suggest mitigation strategies were effective, but more observations are necessary,” said Eva Leidman, who leads the CDC’s Wisconsin COVID-19 Response Field Team.