Covid outbreak among Olympic athletes serves as reminder of pandemic

Five members of the Australian Olympic women’s water polo team have done so tested positive for Covid-19, says Australian chef Anna Meares. Four out of five athletes now feel well enough to train and compete, she noted. The fifth athlete seems to be getting close to them.

A larger outbreak among participants in the upcoming games has not been reported, but these cases serve as a reminder. Covid-19 has not gone away.

The Covid precautions for the Paris Olympics differ dramatically from the precautions for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which were postponed until 2021. Evy Leibfartha canoeist and kayaker Team USA who took part in the 2020 Olympics and will compete again in Paris, reflecting on the differences. She noted that in 2021, “we tested every day for a month leading up to the Olympics and then every day while we were there.” Athletes were not allowed to leave the Olympic Village and plastic barriers separated them in the dining hall. And the most spectators were banned.

Leibfarth said the atmosphere is much more relaxed this year. “We are all careful and try to avoid public transport and crowded places as much as possible. No one wants to get sick,” she noted. But specific Covid-19 protocols for the athletes are not the norm. Testing is not required. Masking is also not required.

Of course, the pandemic is very different now than it was then. Globally, the number of cases and deaths from Covid-19 has decreased significantly. And today, more than half of the world’s population has been vaccinated, according to data from the World Health Organisation. Certainly, SARS-CoV-2 remains a threat and Covid-19 can have a significant impact on people, especially the elderly and those with various underlying conditions. But we are in a better place than we were a few years ago.

Another difference for Evy Leibfarth and the other athletes competing in Paris? Enthusiastic fans from all over the world will be there to cheer them on.