Experts have
warned that the postponed date to host Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics could be
unrealistic, if a vaccine for COVID-19 would not have been developed.
According to
BBC sports, the Professor Devi Sridhar, a world health scientist, said the
development of effective and affordable treatment would be a
“game-changer” to running the games.
International
Olympics Committee (IOC) coordination commission chair John Coates has also
acknowledged that Covid-19 could still affect the rescheduled Olympics.
The committee
rescheduled the games to take place from 23 July to 8 August 2021.
Mr. Coates
said the virus could impact in terms of “mass gatherings or testing of
athletes” when the time comes, adding that directions from the World
Health Organizations will guide IOC.
Professor
Sridhar, who is chair of global health at the University of Edinburgh, said the
chances of Tokyo 2020 going ahead as planned “all depends on a
vaccine”.
“We’re
hearing from the scientists that this could be possible. I had thought it would
be a year or a year and a half away but we’re hearing possibly this could come
sooner,” said Prof. Sridhar.
“If we
do get a vaccine within the next year then actually I think that Olympics is
realistic. The vaccine will be the game-changer – an effective, affordable,
available vaccine.
Meanwhile,
Japan has declared a nationwide state of emergency until 6 May because of the
country’s worsening coronavirus outbreak.
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