Olympic delegations from India and 5 South Asian neighbours will be vaccinated earlier than the Tokyo Games, organisers mentioned Friday, as concern rises over the dangers of coronavirus variants spreading on the occasion.
The transfer impacts delegations coming from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Nepal, Tokyo 2020 and the International Olympic Committee mentioned.
The six international locations are all topic to Japan’s highest stage border restrictions, partly due to concern in regards to the so-called Indian variant of the virus.
The IOC mentioned nationwide Olympic committees from the six international locations had additionally agreed to conduct extra testing of delegation members, past the 2 assessments inside 96 hours of journey to Japan already required underneath present guidelines.
Details of the extra testing weren’t specified.
Tokyo 2020 organisers declined to say whether or not media and different individuals coming from the six international locations would have to be vaccinated to enter Japan, saying it was nonetheless consulting with the native authorities.
The IOC has mentioned it expects up to 80 % of these staying within the Olympic village in the course of the Games to be vaccinated by the point they arrive in Japan.
But organisers are going through robust home opposition in Japan to internet hosting the Games this summer season, with most backing additional postponement or outright cancellation.
Japan is at present battling a fourth wave of virus infections and the federal government is extending a state of emergency in Tokyo and different areas till June 20, simply over a month earlier than the Games.
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