Most of the medical staff needed for the Olympics are secure

Tokyo Olympics organizers have secured around 80% of the medical staff needed to host the Games, a senior Olympic official told Reuters on Monday, amid concerns over infections and the slow rollout of vaccinations in the Japanese capital.

Toshiaki Endo, vice chairman of the Games Organizing Committee, said some domestic spectators may be allowed into venues for the benefit of athletes, although he personally prefers a total ban on participation in order to reassure the public in a context of generalized opposition to the event.

The number of medical staff needed to service the Games, including doctors, nurses and physiotherapists, has been reduced by about a third from the original target of 10,000 and 80% of this new many were obtained.

“We received double the expected number of applications from sports doctors when we asked for cooperation,” said Endo, one of the seven vice-chairs of the organizing committee’s board and former games minister. Olympic.

Organizers were working with 10 hospitals in Tokyo and 20 outside the city to respond to emergencies.

Doctors have warned that the Olympics will put pressure on the healthcare system, which is already under strain, as Japan sees record numbers of COVID-19 patients in critical condition, although the pace of new infections has slowed . Only 2.4% of the public have completed their vaccinations, according to a Reuters tracker.

Endo said organizers were working with the nurses association to mobilize staff, including people who had the qualifications but who did not work as nurses on a regular basis.

Polls show that most Japanese are opposed to holding the Games, concerned about the descent of tens of thousands of athletes, officials and media in the country, where last week the state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas has been extended until June 20.

SPECTATORS, MEDIA

Endo said countries with much higher infection rates had successfully held sporting events without outbreaks and that was why there was “no reason to think about canceling” in Tokyo.

Asked what organizers would do if there was an explosive spread of infections, Endo was not hired.

“Hypothetically, can we organize the Games if there is a sudden 10 or 100 multiplication? We will have to make a decision then,” he said.

Successful vaccination deployments across Europe and a growing number of vaccines in Japan would allow organizers to safely host the centerpiece of global sport, he said.

One of the key decisions that remained to be decided was whether or not to allow domestic spectators to attend.

“Personally, I had thought that we should quickly decide to hold the Games without spectators to reassure everyone,” said Endo.

“But of course, if you think of it from an athlete’s point of view, they want to compete while being cheered on by the spectators.

“That is why, if possible, we would like to allow spectators to enter … but depending on the situation, we should also consider the option without spectators.”

A decision would be made towards the end of the state of emergency around June 20, he said.

Of about 80,000 people who would come to Japan for the Games, Endo said he was most concerned about the news media.

“Of course, members of the media will be subject to extensive movement checks, and we would feel safe if they followed these rules,” he said.

“But we won’t be able to follow one person after another, so we’ll trust them.”

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