Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Tokyo Covid Cases Hit Record; Greek Olympic Synchro Swim Team Is Out
Reuters: Japan Warns Of Unprecedented COVID Spread As Tokyo Cases Hit New Record
Japan warned on Wednesday that coronavirus infections were surging at an unprecedented pace as new cases hit a record high in Tokyo, overshadowing the Olympics and adding to doubts over the government's handling of the pandemic. The Delta variant was leading to a spread of infections "unseen in the past", Health Minister Norihisa Tamura said as he defended a new policy of asking patients with milder symptoms to isolate at home rather than going to hospital. (Kihara, 8/4)
The New York Times: The Greek Synchronized Swimming Team Withdraws From The Games After 4 Athletes Test Positive For The Coronavirus
The Greek synchronized swimming team has withdrawn from the Olympics because four of its members tested positive for the coronavirus, requiring the entire team to leave the athletes’ village in Tokyo. The Hellenic Olympic Committee said in a statement that “there will be no Greek representation” in the duet or group events in synchronized swimming. All members of the team were transferred to a quarantine hotel, the committee said. (Bengali, 8/3)
NBC News: Canada’s Quinn Poised To Be First Transgender Olympic Medalist
Canadian soccer star Quinn is one of at least three transgender and/or nonbinary athletes to compete in the Tokyo Games — along with New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard and the American skateboarder Alana Smith — but Quinn will be the only one to leave with a medal. The color of the medal, however, will depend on Canada’s championship game against the Swedish women’s soccer team Friday. (Yurcaba, 8/2)
Axios: Simone Biles' Exit Brings Global Attention To Mental Health
Simone Biles' withdrawal from Olympics gymnastics events generated significant public interest in mental health, according to exclusive data from NewsWhip. The Tokyo Games offered the ultimate platform for the topic to get global attention, with much of the world watching the same story. Biles sparked a bigger conversation about mental health than either Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah or Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from the French Open — both of which generated significant international interest. (Rothschild, 8/4)
CBS News: Rafael Nadal Discusses Overcoming His Own Physical And Mental Health Issues
Missing from this year's Olympics was tennis superstar Rafael Nadal. A foot injury forced him to sit the games out, but now he's aiming to score a record 21st Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open. His road to the tournament starts in Washington, D.C., where he is back, wowing crowds with his forehand and incredible spin. (CBS News, 8/3)
NPR: Sports Science Is Changing How Female Olympians Train. It Could Help You, Too
U.S. Olympic heptathlete Annie Kunz says tracking her monthly cycles and learning she needs to eat more and get more naps when she's fatigued has already improved her athletic performance. (Mertens, 8/3)
