Virus control center planned for Games
TOKYO >> The Tokyo Games organizing committee plans to establish an infectious disease control center to deal with the coronavirus during the Olympics, according to sources involved with the Games, set to commence in July.
In addition to aggregating test results of foreign athletes entering Japan, the center would monitor the health status of participants.
At its peak, about 30,000 athletes and coaches are expected to gather in the athletes’ village in the Harumi district of Chuo Ward.
Before the Games were postponed, plans included a general clinic to treat injuries and illnesses. The committee now wants to build an outpatient facility in the clinic to deal with athletes and others who may be infected with COVID-19. Testing equipment will be installed in the village.
Another center, responsible for contact tracing, will function similarly to a public health center. Smartphones given to athletes, equipped with a contact tracing app, will help identify people with whom they’ve had close contact.
Infected athletes would be moved to special accommodations or designated hospitals to isolate them and prevent clusters.
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The government plans to exempt Olympic athletes from quarantine. They will be allowed to go to places such as practice venues but will be restricted from entertainment districts, and will be asked to refrain from using public transportation.
Masks will be required in the athletes’ village, and access to the cafeteria will be staggered. Inside, acrylic sheets will be installed to prevent spread of droplets. The space will be ventilated frequently, and athletes will be asked to regularly disinfect their hands.
The committee and the Japanese government have been studying coronavirus countermeasures since September and plan to release a report by the end of the year.
“In addition to thorough infection control measures, everyone will have to work together to quickly identify and isolate infected people,” said a senior committee member. “If a cluster breaks out in the athletes’ village, it could put the event itself in jeopardy.”
