延期舉辦的2020年東京奧運會即將于7月23日開幕,來自世界各地的運動員正在日本匯聚一堂。這次奧運會因為去年爆發新冠疫情而延遲舉行,但12個月后,東京卻仍然沒有走出疫情陰霾的籠罩。自7月1日以來,已經有多達67名奧運會相關人員被檢測出新冠陽性。
國際奧委會的主席托馬斯?巴赫聲稱,陽性病例的出現證明意在追蹤新冠病例的系統是有效的。
他在7月17日說:“我認為這表明,這些措施不僅已經落實到位,而且正在發揮作用,得到了有效的執行。”
當時,只有44名奧運會相關人員感染。這個數字正在增長。
7月19日,美國體操隊候補隊員卡拉?埃克和捷克排球運動員翁德雷?佩魯希奇成為最新兩名被檢測出新冠陽性的運動員。一天前,兩名南非足球運動員在奧運村也被檢測出陽性。
自新冠疫情開始肆虐全球以來,有多項其他體育賽事成功舉行,沒有出現任何參賽者感染病例——它們甚至在新冠疫苗問世之前便做到了這一點。眾所周知,NBA將球員們置于一個隔離園區當中,最終順利完成了2020年賽季的172場比賽,期間一例病例都沒有出現。
但舉辦東京奧運會是一項全然不同的挑戰。為了參加奧運會,約有6萬名運動員、工作人員和媒體人員將前往或經過日本。奧運會相關人員感染人數的不斷增加,揭示了將所有這些參與者一直置于一個隔離環境中是一件多么棘手的事情。
具體有哪些規定?
今年4月,日本奧林匹克委員會針對參加東京夏季奧運會的代表發布了一系列“參賽手冊”,概述了參賽者在賽前和賽中需要采取的安全預防措施。
該運動員手冊要求參賽者在抵達奧運村之前的兩周內監測自己的體溫,在抵達前兩天進行新冠檢測,并在進入奧運村之前再進行一次檢測。東京方面并不要求運動員在到達奧運村之前接種疫苗,但據國際奧委會稱,約有80%的奧運選手接種了疫苗。
規則還規定運動員不早于比賽開始前五天進入奧運村,并要求運動員在結束比賽48小時后才能夠離開奧運村。在逗留期間,運動員的活動范圍限制在奧運村的各個區域之內;他們不得進入東京城市本身。
各隊需要在奧運村餐廳預訂餐桌,從而盡量減少相互接觸。所有運動員每天都要接受檢測。在接受檢測時,一旦檢測出陽性病例,所有密切接觸者都必須留在房間里進行自我隔離。
目前有來自英國代表隊的六名成員處于隔離狀態,因為他們在7月16日抵達奧運村時與一名檢測呈陽性的人員有過密切接觸。最初的病毒攜帶者并不是英國隊的成員。
問題出在哪里?
東京奧運會新冠篩查措施的主要缺陷在于,許多運動員都是乘坐商用或公共交通工具抵達奧運村。去年NBA隔離比賽期間,籃球明星們是乘坐私人飛機飛往位于迪士尼世界(Walt Disney World)的隔離園區。而參加東京奧運會的運動員則是乘坐有普通旅客的商業航班抵達日本。
上周,與肯尼亞和南非奧運橄欖球隊同乘一個航班的兩名乘客在抵達日本時被檢測出新冠陽性。這兩個病例可能會導致兩支隊伍被強制隔離14天,因此東京奧委會臨時改變了規則,在運動員何時應該自我隔離的問題上采取了更寬松的態度。
規則的改變帶來了更多的出錯空間。由于新冠病毒可以潛伏兩周,在前往奧運村的過程中感染病毒的參賽者可能在幾天后才檢測出陽性,在此期間,他們可能接觸到數百人——要么是去過公共健身場所和食堂的其他運動員,要么是在奧運村各處的工作人員。
奧運會還將在日本各地的數個體育場館和場地舉行。從奧運村的住宿處到比賽所在的奧運場館的往返過程,將增加運動員的感染機會。相比之下,NBA的所有比賽都在迪士尼世界內的場地舉行。
運動員只在奧運村和比賽所在的場館之間往返,不能進入東京城市本身,將有私人穿梭巴士接送運動員往返于比賽場館。日本奧委會在6月表示,運動員和其他人員將受到智能手機應用程序的位置追蹤,但該系統將只用于追蹤感染病例的密切接觸者,而不是實時監控行蹤。(財富中文網)
譯者:萬志文
延期舉辦的2020年東京奧運會即將于7月23日開幕,來自世界各地的運動員正在日本匯聚一堂。這次奧運會因為去年爆發新冠疫情而延遲舉行,但12個月后,東京卻仍然沒有走出疫情陰霾的籠罩。自7月1日以來,已經有多達67名奧運會相關人員被檢測出新冠陽性。
國際奧委會的主席托馬斯?巴赫聲稱,陽性病例的出現證明意在追蹤新冠病例的系統是有效的。
他在7月17日說:“我認為這表明,這些措施不僅已經落實到位,而且正在發揮作用,得到了有效的執行。”
當時,只有44名奧運會相關人員感染。這個數字正在增長。
7月19日,美國體操隊候補隊員卡拉?埃克和捷克排球運動員翁德雷?佩魯希奇成為最新兩名被檢測出新冠陽性的運動員。一天前,兩名南非足球運動員在奧運村也被檢測出陽性。
自新冠疫情開始肆虐全球以來,有多項其他體育賽事成功舉行,沒有出現任何參賽者感染病例——它們甚至在新冠疫苗問世之前便做到了這一點。眾所周知,NBA將球員們置于一個隔離園區當中,最終順利完成了2020年賽季的172場比賽,期間一例病例都沒有出現。
但舉辦東京奧運會是一項全然不同的挑戰。為了參加奧運會,約有6萬名運動員、工作人員和媒體人員將前往或經過日本。奧運會相關人員感染人數的不斷增加,揭示了將所有這些參與者一直置于一個隔離環境中是一件多么棘手的事情。
具體有哪些規定?
今年4月,日本奧林匹克委員會針對參加東京夏季奧運會的代表發布了一系列“參賽手冊”,概述了參賽者在賽前和賽中需要采取的安全預防措施。
該運動員手冊要求參賽者在抵達奧運村之前的兩周內監測自己的體溫,在抵達前兩天進行新冠檢測,并在進入奧運村之前再進行一次檢測。東京方面并不要求運動員在到達奧運村之前接種疫苗,但據國際奧委會稱,約有80%的奧運選手接種了疫苗。
規則還規定運動員不早于比賽開始前五天進入奧運村,并要求運動員在結束比賽48小時后才能夠離開奧運村。在逗留期間,運動員的活動范圍限制在奧運村的各個區域之內;他們不得進入東京城市本身。
各隊需要在奧運村餐廳預訂餐桌,從而盡量減少相互接觸。所有運動員每天都要接受檢測。在接受檢測時,一旦檢測出陽性病例,所有密切接觸者都必須留在房間里進行自我隔離。
目前有來自英國代表隊的六名成員處于隔離狀態,因為他們在7月16日抵達奧運村時與一名檢測呈陽性的人員有過密切接觸。最初的病毒攜帶者并不是英國隊的成員。
問題出在哪里?
東京奧運會新冠篩查措施的主要缺陷在于,許多運動員都是乘坐商用或公共交通工具抵達奧運村。去年NBA隔離比賽期間,籃球明星們是乘坐私人飛機飛往位于迪士尼世界(Walt Disney World)的隔離園區。而參加東京奧運會的運動員則是乘坐有普通旅客的商業航班抵達日本。
上周,與肯尼亞和南非奧運橄欖球隊同乘一個航班的兩名乘客在抵達日本時被檢測出新冠陽性。這兩個病例可能會導致兩支隊伍被強制隔離14天,因此東京奧委會臨時改變了規則,在運動員何時應該自我隔離的問題上采取了更寬松的態度。
規則的改變帶來了更多的出錯空間。由于新冠病毒可以潛伏兩周,在前往奧運村的過程中感染病毒的參賽者可能在幾天后才檢測出陽性,在此期間,他們可能接觸到數百人——要么是去過公共健身場所和食堂的其他運動員,要么是在奧運村各處的工作人員。
奧運會還將在日本各地的數個體育場館和場地舉行。從奧運村的住宿處到比賽所在的奧運場館的往返過程,將增加運動員的感染機會。相比之下,NBA的所有比賽都在迪士尼世界內的場地舉行。
運動員只在奧運村和比賽所在的場館之間往返,不能進入東京城市本身,將有私人穿梭巴士接送運動員往返于比賽場館。日本奧委會在6月表示,運動員和其他人員將受到智能手機應用程序的位置追蹤,但該系統將只用于追蹤感染病例的密切接觸者,而不是實時監控行蹤。(財富中文網)
譯者:萬志文
Athletes from the world over are converging in Japan ahead of the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which open on July 23. The Games were postponed last year owing to the pandemic, but, 12 months later, Tokyo is still in the grips of a COVID-19 outbreak, and 67 people associated with the Olympics have tested positive for COVID-19 since July 1.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach argued that the positive cases demonstrated how systems designed to catch COVID cases were effective.
“I think this shows that the measures are not only in place but that they are working and that they are enforced,” Bach said on July 17.
At the time, there were only 44 Olympic-related infections. The number is growing.
On July 19, U.S. gymnastics alternate Kara Eaker and Czech volleyball player Ond?ej Peru?i? became the latest athletes to test positive for the virus. A day earlier, two South African soccer players tested positive in the Olympic Village, too.
Since the pandemic began, other sporting events have managed to convene without competitors catching the virus—even before COVID-19 vaccines were available. The NBA famously kept players in an isolated “bubble” for 172 games of the 2020 season, without a single case of COVID-19.
But Tokyo 2020 is a different challenge. Some 60,000 athletes, staff, and media are traveling to and through Japan in order to attend the Olympics, and the rising case numbers related to the Tokyo 2020 Games reveal just how tricky keeping all those attendees in a bubble will be.
What are the protocols?
In April, Japan’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) released a series of “playbooks” for delegates attending the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, outlining what safety precautions the attendees would be required to take before and during the games.
The playbook for athletes instructs participants to monitor their temperatures for two weeks prior to arriving at the Olympic Village, to take a test two days before arrival, and again before they enter the village. Tokyo doesn’t require athletes to be vaccinated before arriving at the village, but, according to the IOC, around 80% of competitors at the Olympics are.
The rules also prohibit athletes from entering the village earlier than five days before their events and mandate that athletes leave the village 48 hours after their final performance. During their stay, athletes are restricted to traveling between areas of the village; they cannot enter Tokyo proper.
Teams are required to book tables at the Olympic Village dining room, to minimize mixing, and all athletes are tested daily. If a positive case is detected, all close contacts are forced to self-isolate in their rooms while undergoing testing.
Six members of the Great Britain team are currently under isolation, after coming into close contact with a person who tested positive upon arrival at the village on July 16. The original carrier was not a member of Team GB.
What are the weak spots?
The key weakness in Tokyo 2020’s COVID-19 screening policies is that many of the athletes arriving at the village will have traveled by commercial, or public, transport. Unlike during the NBA bubble, where basketball stars were flown to their bubble in Walt Disney World by private jet, athletes are arriving in Japan by commercial flight alongside ordinary travelers.
Last week, two passengers sharing separate flights with Kenyan and South African Olympic rugby teams tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Japan. The cases threatened to send both teams to a mandatory 14-day quarantine, so the Tokyo NOC changed its rules to be more lenient on when athletes should self-isolate.
The rule change has introduced more room for error. Because the virus can incubate for up to two weeks, attendees who contract the virus while traveling to the village might not test positive until days later, during which time they might have mingled with hundreds of other people—either other athletes in the communal gym spaces and canteen, or staff manning the facilities at the village.
The Olympics are also taking place in several stadiums and sites across the country. Ushering athletes from their accommodations in the Olympic Village to their events at the Olympic stadiums will present more opportunity for transmission. The NBA, by comparison, held all of its matches at venues inside Disney World.
Athletes are expected to travel only between the village and their relevant event venues, without straying into Tokyo’s general city, and private shuttle buses will ferry athletes to and from the venues. The NOC said in June that the locations of athletes and others will be tracked by a smartphone app, too, but that the system will only be used to conduct contact tracing, not to monitor movement in real time.