Tokyo 2020 Covid outbreak 'remote'

TOKYO • Paralympics chief Andrew Parsons said the chances of athletes spreading coronavirus are "really remote" as he attempted to douse Japanese "anger" over the Tokyo Games.

Speaking to Agence France-Presse, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president said stringent virus countermeasures will keep athletes and the Japanese public safe.

Parsons was speaking just over 100 days before the Paralympics open on Aug 24, and with 10 weeks to go before the Olympics start on July 23. As the Games approach, Japan is battling a fourth virus wave and public opinion remains opposed to hosting them.

The country said yesterday it would declare a state of emergency in three more prefectures hit hard by the pandemic, in a surprise move reflecting growing concerns about the virus' spread.

Hokkaido, Okayama and Hiroshima will join Tokyo, Osaka and four other prefectures tomorrow under a state of emergency until May 31, said Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is also in charge of coronavirus countermeasures.

"We understand the feeling of uncertainty," Parsons said.

"And normally when there is uncertainty there is fear, and sometimes fear becomes anger."

But he said extensive countermeasures, including multiple pre-arrival tests and daily testing in Japan, make the chance of spreading the virus "really remote".

"We want to provide this feeling of certainty," he said.

"Because we see that the anger comes from this concept that it's the Japanese population's safety versus the Games. I believe they can co-exist."

Olympics organisers say recent test events held with international athletes prove their countermeasures work, and while vaccination will not be a requirement, many athletes are already inoculated.

Parsons said at least 60 per cent of Paralympians are currently expected to be vaccinated by the Games, but that figure may rise after organisers struck a deal with Pfizer/BioNTech.

"The last thing that we want to do is jeopardise the Japanese health system at this very moment," he said, calling for "innovative solutions" to avoid adding pressure.

Concerns about the burden on overstretched Japanese medical workers have been raised regularly in recent weeks.

Regions around Tokyo have also rejected requests that they set aside hospital beds for athletes who may become sick, and a furore erupted over an Olympic request for volunteer nurses, though reports suggest a call for volunteer doctors was oversubscribed.

The Games organisers have held a series of test events in recent weeks, with only one virus case detected from more than 700 athletes and over 6,000 related staff.

But some athletes complained that the restrictions were too harsh, with US sprinter Justin Gatlin saying he hoped they would "be just a little more lenient about where we can go" when the Games begin.

Parsons insists that the measures are "proportional", and ruled out any loosening up.

"The No. 1 priority is the health and safety of everyone in the Games. I don't think we can relax any of those restrictions," he said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS