Beijing started this Tuesday (4) the operation of part of the “bubble” of the Winter Olympics, by finalizing the preparation of venues, transport and personnel for the sporting mega-event.
Starting this Tuesday, thousands of workers at the Games — volunteers, janitors, cooks and drivers — will be isolated for weeks in the so-called “closed circuit”, without any physical contact with the outside world.
China, where the coronavirus emerged in December 2019, maintains a zero tolerance strategy with Covid-19. It now follows the same policy to limit the pandemic’s potential impact on the Winter Games, which will run from February 4-20, and subsequent Paralympics.
The measures taken by the Chinese regime differ from those taken at the Tokyo Summer Games, which allowed more mobility for volunteers and other workers after initial isolation.
The international press and around 3,000 athletes are expected to start arriving in the Chinese capital in the coming weeks and will remain in the bubble from the moment of their arrival until they leave the country.
To enter the bubble, you must have the complete vaccination schedule, or have respected a 21-day quarantine upon landing in China. Everyone inside will undergo daily testing and must wear a mask at all times.
The first team from the Brazilian Olympic Committee is expected to arrive on the 24th, with the first athletes disembarking five days later. The forecast is that the country will have 10 to 14 participants in the Games.
“The biggest logistical challenge is the short time between the official definition of the classifieds, which only comes out on January 17, and the start of the competition. Although we are already used to this type of deadline, Beijing has the peculiarity of being held in a pandemic context, with many restrictions on movement,” said Anders Pettersson, head of the Brazilian delegation.
“Only 17 airlines are authorized to offer flights to Beijing during the Games period, departing from just four airports so far. So it’s a real puzzle that the COB is putting together to offer the best possible structure for athletes and officials.” , completed.
In the last week of 2021, China recorded the highest count of Covid-19 cases for a seven-day period since the first wave of the pandemic. The daily average had beaten 200 cases.
The head of the Games Organizing Committee’s Press Department, Zhao Weidong, recently told AFP that Beijing is “fully prepared”.
“Hotels, transport, accommodation, as well as our Olympic projects in the scientific and technological field are ready,” added Zhao.
Local audiences will be admitted and will not be part of the “closed circuit”, but organizers must ensure that they do not interact with the athletes or other people inside the bubble.
Upon leaving the bubble, those living in China will also need to be quarantined before returning home.
AFP journalists in Beijing saw workers erecting wire fences, guarded by guards amid low winter temperatures.
Most venues are outside the capital.
Diplomats in China told AFP the measures seem so impenetrable that they fear they cannot offer assistance to their nationals inside the bubble.
Beijing Bubble Rules
– Anyone who is fully vaccinated does not need to quarantine
– It will not be mandatory, but Chinese authorities are encouraging the booster dose
– Those who are not vaccinated will need to remain in isolation 21 days before entering the blister
– Official Games venues can only be visited, using only official transport, which will have exclusive spaces (such as specific carriages) for those accredited to Beijing 2022, even on public trains
– No contact with people outside the bubble will be allowed
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