This Is What Happens When an Athlete Tests Positive for COVID-19 at the Tokyo Olympics

Japanese health authorities have an aggressive testing plan in place for the Tokyo Olympics, but positive COVID-19 tests are already cropping up. With the Olympics taking place during a pandemic, in a city under a state of emergency, the Tokyo Organizing Committee has created a stringent set of policies governing how athletes and their coaches, trainers and other staff must behave to minimize the risk of both importing infections and spreading disease in the Olympic community. But even with aggressive testing, infections can happen. That’s because the virus is so unpredictable, and even though about 80% of athletes reported being vaccinated, the vaccines can’t prevent infections 100% of the time. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Already, the system has detected three positive cases in the Olympic Village, and at least a few more among athletes training outside of the Village, including the first positive test in a Team USA member, who is an alternate on the women’s gymnastics team. The cases in the Village, among members of the South African men’s soccer team, meant the entire team was isolated and prevented from training together until repeated tests among them continue to be negative. The strategy for keeping infections to a minimum over the coming weeks involves keeping Olympic-related visitors in as much of a bubble as possible, and testing everyone frequently. Any travelers from abroad are asked to minimize their travel 14 days before ...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 olympics Tokyo Olympics Source Type: news