Olympics bans spectators over COVID-19 worries

As the Olympic torch moves closer to Tokyo, the city entered its fourth lockdown since the pandemic started. On Thursday, two weeks before the games were set to begin, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared a state of emergency starting Monday through Aug. 22. The International Olympic Committee and government officials agreed not to allow spectators at the Tokyo Olympics. The city reported 920 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the highest number since May. Medical professionals worry about another surge lasting through August due to the quick spread of the delta variant and slow vaccine rollout in Japan.

Will athletes be safe? So far, only four Olympic team members have tested positive for the coronavirus. Officials expect roughly 80 percent of those staying at the Olympic Village will be fully vaccinated by the time the games start. Olympians will be required to quarantine for three days on arrival, social distance, get tested regularly, and participate in contact tracing. Only 15 percent of Japan’s population is fully vaccinated.

Dig deeper: Read Onize Ohikere’s report in World Tour about Japan’s spike of suicides during lockdown.