China insists its Winter Olympics WILL go ahead ‘smoothly’ despite Omicron Covid variant threatening chaos, as country’s zero-tolerance approach sees strict measures remain in place and athletes living in a ‘closed loop’
- China expects to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics ‘smoothly’ and on schedule
- The emergence of the new variant is having a knock-on effect around the world
- Zhao said China has experience in preventing and controlling the coronavirus
- Beijing will stage the Games from February 4-20, without foreign spectators
China expects to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics ‘smoothly’ and on schedule, despite challenges posed by the emergence of the new Omicron coronavirus variant.
The emergence of the new variant is having a knock-on effect around the world, with many countries tightening restrictions and adapting border policies as a result.
Omicron’s rise and potential spreading arrives as the winter period reaches its peak, though the games are said to have full prior planning and will press ahead as normal.
China expects to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics ‘smoothly’ and on schedule despite Covid
Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday: ‘I believe it will definitely pose some challenge to our efforts to prevent and control the virus, but as China has experience in preventing and controlling the coronavirus, I fully believe that China will be able to host the Winter Olympics as scheduled, smoothly and successfully,’
Beijing is set to stage the Games from February 4 to February 20, without foreign spectators and with all athletes and related personnel contained in a ‘closed loop’ and subject to daily testing for COVID-19.
Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian stressed that China can control the coronavirus
Under its ‘zero-COVID’ policy, China has had what are among the world’s strictest COVID-19 prevention measures.
The nation has stuck to its zero-tolerance approach as other countries started re-opening – at least before Omicron arrived.
China has deployed some of the toughest methods in the world to contain its spread since the virus first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan last year, including long quarantines and severe lockdowns.
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