• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

Japan infection expert eyes Olympics with excitement, concern

by The Online Citizen
22/06/2021
in Asia, Sports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
1
Japan infection expert eyes Olympics with excitement, concern

Source: AFP

Infectious disease expert Atsuo Hamada still fondly remembers the thrill of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, but with a month until Japan hosts the Games again, he has concerns.

The journey to this year’s Games has been like no other. After a historic pandemic postponement, organisers refused to pull the plug, despite infection risks, travel restrictions and persistent public opposition.

As the first athletes start arriving, Hamada says the Games must “be done in a way that will not bring the virus and variants to Japan.”

“It will have to be done in a way that will not place extra burden on the medical system,” he told AFP in an interview.

It’s a delicate balancing act, and some medical professionals still want the Games called off, saying the risks of getting it wrong are too high.

Even Hamada, who makes no secret of his excitement about seeing the Olympics in Japan again, advises caution.

“The best thing is to ask the public to stay home and watch the Olympics on TV,” he said.

Organisers have already imposed an unprecedented ban on overseas fans, and on Monday, announced domestic spectators would be limited to 10,000 per event.

They said events could move behind closed doors if the situation worsens, but Hamada wants a stronger commitment.

“In the worst-case scenario, a cancellation must be considered,” said Hamada, a professor at Tokyo Medical University.

He cites the recent situation in Osaka city, where dozens of people died from coronavirus as the medical system was overwhelmed.

When the Games were postponed last year, many hoped the pandemic would be over by the opening ceremony this summer.

Instead, even as vaccines roll out internationally, a deadly winter virus wave spread across the globe and highly infectious variants are on the rise.

‘A degree of control’

Organisers have sought to reassure an anxious public with tough countermeasures.

Athletes will be tested daily, and are banned from going anywhere but the Olympic village and their competition venues.

They can only enter the village shortly before their events and must leave within 48 hours of their discipline ending. Over 80 percent of those in the village will be vaccinated, Olympic officials say.

Hamada said those measures “should result in a degree of control.”

But he worries about those outside the bubble, including participants like media coming from abroad.

“Journalists will surely want to report about Japan. Will they obey the rules?”

“I feel there have to be limits on their movement,” he said.

Overseas journalists are barred from going anywhere but their hotels and Olympic sites for the first 14 days in Japan, with their movement tracked by GPS.

But Hamada believes more may be necessary, particularly for those coming from countries with high rates of infection or variants of concern.

He suggests they could be placed in a separate bubble, or face more rigorous testing, though any additional measures should “be done in ways that are not discriminatory.”

Pressure on the medical system

Hamada and other medical experts worry that efforts to keep the Games safe, including regular testing and isolation of suspected cases, could add pressure to the country’s medical system.

To assuage those fears, the International Olympic Committee has offered to bring extra doctors and nurses from overseas, and organisers have pledged to avoid stretching resources.

Hamada warned that Japan must not let the Games slow down its vaccine drive.

“Japan’s vaccination efforts are making progress, and I do not wish to see them come under pressure,” he said.

Despite his worries, the specialist is eager to relive the Olympic excitement of 1964.

He was nine when he sat inside the national stadium soaking in the euphoria of the Games, and remembers feeling his local street had been transformed after the world’s top marathon runners pounded past.

“I still have this feeling inside me that I want to be there again, to experience it again.”

— AFP

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.
Source: AFP
Tags: AFPJapanOlympics

Related Posts

WHO panel in talks on COVID emergency status
AFP

WHO panel in talks on COVID emergency status

27/01/2023
Chinese property giant Evergrande under ‘tremendous pressure’
China

Chinese property giant Evergrande under ‘tremendous pressure’

14/09/2021
Australia’s capital Canberra to enter virus lockdown
Health

Virus lockdown extended for Australia’s capital

14/09/2021
Messenger RNA COVID vaccines 66% effective against Delta: US study
Health

UK to vaccinate over 12s against COVID

14/09/2021
Politics

Facebook shields VIPs from some of its rules: report

14/09/2021
Malaysian PM, opposition in deal to boost stability
Malaysia

Malaysian PM, opposition in deal to boost stability

14/09/2021
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
1 Comment
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

No response from Josephine Teo on whether Mediacorp has been instructed to stop coverage of SMT circulation scandal

No response from Josephine Teo over alleged blackout of coverage by Mediacorp over SMT circulation scandal

06/02/2023
Earthquake victims stage demonstration after Cianjur Regency Govt cancels temporary housing assistance of US$68 per family

Earthquake victims stage demonstration after Cianjur Regency Govt cancels temporary housing assistance of US$68 per family

06/02/2023
The uncomfortable past appointments by PAP members for CPIB in Keppel’s corruption scandal

The uncomfortable past appointments by PAP members for CPIB in Keppel’s corruption scandal

06/02/2023
Not the first time, Tong Chong Heong, former KOM senior executive, was involved in corruption at Keppel

Not the first time, Tong Chong Heong, former KOM senior executive, was involved in corruption at Keppel

06/02/2023
Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Adani stock rout raises questions about India’s credibility even as S’pore becomes #1 investor in India

06/02/2023
Sixteen killed in China highway pile-up

Sixteen killed in China highway pile-up

05/02/2023

Are IT jobs in Singapore flooded by foreigners?

05/02/2023
Nine missing after fishing boat capsizes in South Korea

Nine missing after fishing boat capsizes in South Korea

05/02/2023

Trending posts

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

by Yee Loon
30/01/2023
25

...

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

by Augustine Low
01/02/2023
47

...

Cognizant India transfers staff to work in Singapore as recently as this year

Local IT grads can’t find jobs while engineers constantly transferred from India to work in SG under CECA

by Correspondent
05/02/2023
47

...

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

by Correspondent
03/02/2023
26

...

Excessively charging for an essential need, and calling it affordable because people still can pay for it?

by Terry Xu
31/01/2023
40

...

Singapore Law Watch removes commentary on CPIB’s decision to not prosecute former Keppel executives

Singapore Law Watch removes commentary on CPIB’s decision to not prosecute former Keppel executives

by The Online Citizen
02/02/2023
19

...

June 2021
M T W T F S S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930  
« May   Jul »

The Online Citizen is a regional online publication based in Taiwan and formerly Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform.

Navigation

  • Editorial
  • Commentaries
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Community

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Letter submission
  • Membership subscription

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

wpDiscuz