P R Sreejesh from Tokyo Olympic Village
The Japanese government and the Tokyo 2020 organising committee are putting in maximum effort to keep coronavirus away from the Olympic Village. Stringent measures are in place to detect and isolate infected arrivals at airports and prevent the virus from spreading. Yet, two South African footballers and a video analyst have tested positive. Remarkably, the local organisers are doing their best to allay fears without tightening COVID-19 protocols and control measures. Each and every person arriving at the Games Village needs to undergo RT-PCR tests once in three days.
Hand sanitiser bottles can be found in every nook and cranny of the Games Village and at the apartment complexes where delegations from around the world are lodged. All those entering the premises should wash their hands and clean them with a sanitiser. The athletes are also seen carrying sanitisers for personal use. All Games participants must wear a face mask at all times, except when eating, drinking, training, competing or sleeping. Athletes are permitted to step out of the Games Village only for training.
We are obliged to adhere to the protocols and are trying to confine ourselves to the hotel rooms. There is no television in our room, but free WiFi service is provided. So, mobile phones are the only sources of entertainment.
Strict health and safety protocols are in place at the common dining hall as well. Nobody is allowed to touch food trays without wearing gloves. Maintaining social distancing is also important. Each athlete needs to sit separately in a cubicle covered with transparent plastic sheets on three sides. The staff could be seen cleaning and disinfecting the tables and chairs frequently.
(The writer is a member of the Indian hockey team)
