SAFETY UNDER SCANNER FOR TOKYO OLYMPICS

A report in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has raised questions and offered suggestions to tighten the current safety protocols laid down by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in its latest Playbook to "create a safe Games environment for all Games participants". Below are some of the key ones:

TESTING

In its updated Playbook, the IOC has mentioned conducting daily tests on athletes and officials. But the initial tests will be antigen, which have low efficacy. “If the results of the first test are unclear or positive, a PCR test will be conducted from the same sample of saliva”, says the IOC.

PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

The IOC has put the onus on the athletes and contingents to ensure that they have enough masks for the duration of their stay. The report recommends "distribution of medically approved face masks" for athletes and officials.

CLOSE CONTACTS AND NO PLAN B

The Playbook does mention steps once an athlete or official tests positive, including not allowing him/her to compete/continue their role. But there is ambiguity regarding “close contacts” of a positive case, which the Japanese health authorities will decide on a "case-by-case basis". The report states that the Playbook has "no plan B in the event of an outbreak".

VACCINATION

The report highlights that not every participating athlete or official is guaranteed to be fully vaccinated before the Olympics begin. The IOC has not made vaccination a prerequisite to participate in the Games and also expects athletes to participate "at their own risk".

CLASSIFYING SPORT AND AREAS

The NEJM report suggests classifying the events in the Games to low, moderate or high risk. For example, sailing could be considered as a low risk sport, while wrestling could be high risk. Similar classification for areas like dining hall, buses, etc, could be made. "Protocols for keeping athletes and everyone else involved safe could vary on the basis of these risk levels," the report states.