A Tale of Two Cities: In the Olympic 'bubble' and the Tokyo outside

TOKYO: The Tokyo Olympics is running a village for athletes and coaches where more than 80 per cent are vaccinated against the coronavirus, testing is compulsory and movement is stringently curtailed.AdvertisementThe athletes’ village and Olympic press centre represent a huge, strict COVID-19 control zone for the more than 50,000 competitors, coaches, staff and journalists.

The positivity rate in Games-related tests is just 0.02 per cent, said International Olympic Committee spokesperson Mark Adams."This is the most tested community almost certainly anywhere in the world."Athletes confirmed positive are quarantined, barring some from competition. American double world champion pole vaulter Sam Kendricks and rival German Chiaraviglio of Argentina were ruled out on Thursday after testing positive for COVID-19.

At the main press centre in Japan's largest exhibition facility, reporters sanitise their hands before lining up for security checks. Masks are required at all times, except during facial recognition scans and while eating. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Thursday he had a"strong sense of urgency" about COVID-19 as Tokyo logged another record high. He again urged people to stay home and watch the Games - being held with almost no spectators - on TV. Travel curbs and work-from-home recommendations remain in place.

Tokyo's COVID-19 infections began to spike shortly before the Olympics began, to a record 3,865 on Thursday, from less than 1,000 daily in mid-July, although serious cases and deaths have remained subdued. Standing room only is the norm on commuter trains, although virtually all passengers wear masks and refrain from speaking loudly, while conductors open some windows in each carriage to promote air circulation.

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