Tokyo Olympics organizers are considering vaccinating all 70,000 Games
volunteers, CEO Toshiro Muto said Tuesday, in a bid to reduce infection risks
with around six weeks until the sporting extravaganza.
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And overseas journalists covering the event will have their movements
tracked by GPS, Muto said, as Games officials try to reassure a skeptical
public that the mega-event can be held safely.
Around 10,000 volunteers — who are vital to the smooth running of the Games
-- have quit over issues including virus concerns.
Muto said a plan to offer shots to volunteers helping at venues and the
Olympic village was "definitely under discussion", and could be
widened to domestic media and other Japan-based participants.
"In terms of volunteers, especially volunteers who are bound to be near
the athletes, we need to treat them as if they're the same as athletes,"
he said.
Japan has seen a smaller Covid-19 outbreak than many countries, but until
recently its vaccine roll-out had been relatively slow. Around 3.5 percent of
the population are fully vaccinated.
Japanese Olympic athletes have started to receive their jabs in a separate program,
part of an International Olympic Committee deal with Pfizer.
Muto said there was "a fair probability" that Games organizers
could negotiate to expand that scheme beyond the current 20,000 athletes and
staff if they decided to vaccinate all volunteers.
But with the clock ticking, he warned it would not be simple.
"If we're going to give shots, we need to identify whether we can add
those shots, or whether we have the system to back it up," he said.
"Also, how far are we going to widen the scope? There are a number of
things we need to consider."
Organizers also warned that overseas journalists coming to Japan to cover
the Games would be subject to strict controls on movement.
About 6,000 reporters visiting Japan for the Olympics must provide a detailed
list of areas they will visit for their first two weeks in Japan, such as
sports venues and hotels.
And Muto said smartphone tracking technology would be used to make sure they
only go where they are supposed to.
"Using GPS, if they go to places outside their planned destinations,
that would become very apparent," said Muto.
"If they go places they're not supposed to, we are definitely concerned
that it would heighten the risk."
Reporters will be asked to stay in designated hotels rather than private lodgings,
he added.
The number of hotels will be reduced from an originally planned 350 to
around 150, he said, as organizers try to keep visitors under close
supervision.
"Given the current state of the pandemic, I think this is a tolerable
restriction on activities," said Muto. The GPS plans will be detailed in
updated rulebooks to be released soon.
Athletes will also face tight restrictions on their movements as well as
being tested daily for the virus.
Overseas fans have already been banned from attending the event, and organizers
will decide later this month how many domestic spectators — if any — can watch
the competitions.
National polls have tended to show that most respondents oppose holding the
Olympics this summer, backing either a further postponement or cancellation.
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