Bizarre COVID-19 rules set for Winter Olympics

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Athletes volition request to beryllium vaccinated – oregon look a agelong quarantine – instrumentality tests regular and deterioration masks erstwhile not competing oregon training. Clapping is OK to cheer connected teammates, not chanting. Anyone who tests affirmative for COVID-19 volition beryllium sent into isolation and incapable to vie until cleared for discharge.

Welcome to the Beijing Winter Olympics, wherever strict containment measures volition purpose to make a virus-proof “bubble” for thousands of planetary visitors astatine a clip erstwhile omicron is fuelling infections globally.

The prevention protocols volition beryllium akin to those astatine the Tokyo Games, but overmuch tighter. That won't beryllium a agelong successful Beijing, with China having maintained a 'zero-COVID' argumentation since aboriginal successful the pandemic.

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Still, China's quality to instrumentality to its zero-tolerance attack nationally is already being tested by the highly transmissible omicron variant, which is much contagious than earlier variants of the microorganism and amended capable to evade extortion from vaccines.

With conscionable weeks to spell earlier the February 4 commencement of the Games, much than 20 cardinal radical successful six cities are nether lockdown aft caller outbreaks.

Here’s however the Games volition work.

DO ATHLETES HAVE TO BE VACCINATED?

Yes, athletes and different participants including squad unit and quality media volition request to beryllium afloat vaccinated to beryllium allowed successful the designated Olympic areas without completing a 21-day quarantine. Those areas volition dwell of the Olympic Village, crippled venues, different prime spots and dedicated transport.

That’s antithetic from the Tokyo Games, wherever participants didn’t person to beryllium vaccinated.

Participants are considered afloat vaccinated according to the definitions outlined by their countries. Before boarding their flights, everyone volition besides request to supply 2 caller antagonistic tests from approved labs.

The menace of being sidelined by a affirmative trial is adding to the unit for athletes.

Mogul skier Hannah Soar said she was avoiding interaction with radical indoors and behaving arsenic if everyone had the virus: "We’re fundamentally astatine the constituent of acting similar it’s March 2020".

WHAT ABOUT DAILY LIFE?

Upon accomplishment astatine the airdrome successful Beijing, participants volition person their temperatures taken and beryllium tested with pharynx and nasal swabs. An Olympics authoritative who precocious arrived connected tract said astatine a property briefing the process took him 45 minutes, though organisers enactment times mightiness vary.

A autobus volition past instrumentality radical to their designated lodging, wherever they’ll hold up to six hours for trial results to wide them to determination astir successful approved areas. Restrictions connected question wrong that “closed loop” are intended to seal disconnected immoderate imaginable interaction betwixt Olympic participants and the section population.

Throat swabs for investigating volition beryllium required regular for each participants. In Tokyo, participants spat into vials for antigen tests.

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Standard prevention measures are being encouraged, specified arsenic ventilating rooms and keeping a region of astir 1 metre from others oregon 2 metres from athletes.

Masks that are N95 oregon of a akin calibre volition besides beryllium required successful indoor and outdoor areas with fewer exceptions, specified arsenic erstwhile radical are eating oregon drinking. Dining halls volition person partitions and seating capableness volition beryllium reduced to assistance support distancing.

In spaces wherever distancing isn’t possible, specified arsenic elevators, talking won't beryllium allowed. Staff volition beryllium stationed successful cardinal areas to assistance usher radical and guarantee protocols are being followed.

WHAT HAPPENS IF AN ATHLETE TESTS POSITIVE?

In Tokyo, organisers accidental 33 athletes tested affirmative during the Games. Of those, 22 were withdrawn from competition. Even with the tightened precautions successful Beijing, experts accidental immoderate affirmative tests are likely, particularly with omicron successful play.

If an jock oregon different subordinate tests affirmative but doesn’t person symptoms, they’ll request to spell into isolation successful a dedicated hotel. They’ll beryllium provided with meals and tin unfastened their windows for caller aerial but won’t beryllium capable to permission their rooms, which organisers accidental volition beryllium astir 25 quadrate metres.

Athletes volition beryllium allowed to petition fittingness instrumentality for training.

People with nary symptoms tin permission isolation aft 2 days of antagonistic tests. Organisers accidental those investigating affirmative volition beryllium reviewed connected a case-by-case basis, but it mightiness inactive beryllium excessively precocious for athletes to compete.

As a wide rule, organisers accidental the sheet volition reappraisal those who support investigating affirmative for much than 14 days.

Those who trial affirmative and person symptoms volition person to spell into isolation successful a hospital. They’ll besides request 2 days of antagonistic tests to beryllium freed, arsenic good arsenic 3 days of mean temperatures and symptoms subsiding.

Organisers person said athletes who retrieve aft investigating affirmative up of the Games volition besides beryllium assessed connected a case-by-case ground successful a “more flexible manner".

WILL THERE BE FANS?

Spectators from overseas won’t beryllium allowed. As for section fans, Beijing organisers accidental they're finalising rules for their attendance.

It's not wide however the caller outbreaks astir China volition origin into the decisions. But organisers of the Tokyo Games had besides planned to let immoderate home fans, earlier scrapping the thought due to the fact that of a surge successful section cases. The effect was surreal scenes of athletes competing successful bare stadiums.

Even if immoderate fans are allowed successful Beijing, their beingness volition beryllium muted. Everyone is being asked to clap alternatively of shouting oregon singing, arsenic had been the program successful Tokyo.

CAN IT WORK?

Despite the omicron-fuelled surge hitting galore parts of the world, including China, organisers whitethorn inactive beryllium capable to propulsion disconnected the Olympics without arsenic overmuch disruption arsenic immoderate fear.

Olympic athletes are highly motivated to debar corruption truthful they tin compete, noted Dr. Sandro Galea, a nationalist wellness adept astatine Boston University. And adjacent if it's harder with omicron, helium noted it was nary enigma what radical needed to bash to debar corruption – instrumentality prevention measures, specified arsenic limiting vulnerability to others.

AP sports writer Pat Graham contributed to the article.

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