Testing methods ‘clear and transparent’
BERLIN — The chief medical officer of Germany’s Winter Olympic squad has attempted to allay concerns about coronavirus testing methods at Beijing 2022.
Bernd Wolfarth said he considers it “rather unlikely” that tests would be unclear or manipulated after several German coaches and athletes expressed concerns about testing regulations.
Germany’s alpine skiing head coach, Wolfgang Maier, claimed the COVID-19 testing regulations could be “open to manipulation”, and asked for clarity from organizers over the CT value of PCR testing, which indicates if a coronavirus-infected person is contagious.
The red line set by Chinese authorities and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is a CT figure of 40.
In Germany, a person is regarded as not significantly infectious at a level of over 30. The lower the figure is, the more a person is regarded as infectious.
Wolfarth described the Beijing 2022 guidelines as “very clear and transparent”.
“There have been no newly implemented or increased measures for the Games. The current regulations are grounded on the framework set by the zero-COVID policy of the Chinese government,” the German professor added.
Wolfarth has headed the medical section of the German Olympic Association (DOSB) since the London 2012 Games.
“For entering the country, a figure of 40 has been implemented,” he said at a news conference at the Institute for Applied Scientific Training in Leipzig.
This might be a different approach to the one used in Europe “but it has been openly communicated”, he added.
Because some mild cases could be deemed “slightly positive” after a number of weeks of infection, a combined commission of Chinese and European experts has been established to deal with disputed cases.
“Plans speak of several tests in advance. There is always the option to demand further control, testing and investigation,” said Wolfarth.
The same procedures were implemented for the summer Games in Tokyo.
Wolfarth spoke of a possible gray area when athletes test positive and as a result are not allowed to enter China even if their CT figures are anticipated to drop over the following weeks.