Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Several Athletes Test Positive For Covid Just Days Before Olympic Games Begin
Axios: Olympics Athletes Test Positive For COVID In Tokyo
Olympic Games organizers confirmed Sunday three athletes have tested positive for COVID-19 in Tokyo — five days before the event is due to begin, per Reuters. Two of the athletes, all of whom were listed as "non-Japanese," were staying in the Olympic Village, AP notes. The other was outside the village. (Sukin and Falconer, 7/18)
The Wall Street Journal: Days Before The Olympics, More Athletes Test Positive For Covid-19
The long-feared possibility that the Covid-19 pandemic could disrupt the Tokyo Olympics is rapidly emerging as a reality, as Games organizers scramble to deal with a rising load of athletes and officials who are testing positive upon arrival in Japan. The stream of positive cases is quickly demonstrating how difficult it will be to stage one of the world’s largest events during a global pandemic. Tens of thousands of participants from more than 200 countries are entering a country where the vaccination rate of the local population remains low and the more-contagious Delta variant is spreading. (Bachman, Gale and Radnofsky, 7/18)
The Washington Post: Coco Gauff Withdraws From Tokyo Olympics After Testing Positive For Covid
Rising star Coco Gauff announced Sunday afternoon she won’t be able to compete at the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for the coronavirus. Gauff, 17, was to compete in singles and doubles at her first Olympics. She disclosed her positive test via Twitter, writing: “I am so disappointed to share the news that I have tested positive for covid and won’t be able to play in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. It has always been a dream of mine to represent the USA at the Olympics, and I hope there will be many more chances for me to make this come true in the future.” (Clarke, 7/18)
AP: Zero Risk? Virus Cases Test Olympic Organizers' Assurances
Two South African soccer players became the first athletes inside the Olympic Village to test positive for COVID-19, and other cases connected to the Tokyo Games were also confirmed Sunday, highlighting the herculean task organizers face to keep the virus contained while the world’s biggest sports event plays out. The positive tests came as some of the 11,000 athletes and thousands more team officials expected from across the globe began arriving, having traveled through a pandemic to get to Tokyo. (Wade, Kageyama and Imray, 7/18)
The Wall Street Journal: The Flight Risk In Tokyo Olympics’ Covid Protocols: Getting To Japan
Tokyo Olympics organizers laid out extensive coronavirus-mitigation protocols for national delegations heading for the Games that open Thursday [July 23], including rigorous testing and barring spectators in most Olympic venues. One element over which organizers have virtually no control, however, is turning out to be one of the most problematic: commercial flights. Positive cases among passengers already are forcing changes to protocols to accommodate the possibility that the journey to Tokyo alone could threaten some athletes’ participation in the Games. (Bachman and Hernandez, 7/17)
