Japan: the Tokyo Olympics facing the 5th wave of Covid-19
The state of emergency is extended until July 22, 2021, the day before the start of the Tokyo Olympics.
AFP - BEHROUZ MEHRI
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
Just twelve days before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, on July 23, the state of emergency comes into force on Saturday July 10 in Tokyo.
In the Japanese capital and its suburbs, these Games will be held behind closed doors to prevent the event from accelerating the spread of the virus.
But will this unprecedented precautionary measure in Olympic history be enough as a fifth wave of the epidemic begins in Tokyo?
Many doctors and experts doubt it.
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With our correspondent in Tokyo,
Bruno Duval
In January in Japan, when the third, very deadly wave of the epidemic reached its peak, thousands of Covid-19 patients could not be hospitalized, due to a lack of beds or sufficient number of caregivers.
Two waves later, these two Tokyo hospital doctors fear that the same scenario will happen again during the Olympics.
"
This fifth wave is very violent,"
said the first.
However, we have not learned the lessons of the health drama of this winter: hospitals still lack beds and staff.
So, for sure, things will go badly this summer too.
"
"
These Olympics will be a race against time between the Delta variant and the vaccination campaign,"
adds the other doctor.
As most of the Japanese are still not vaccinated, it is the variant that will win the race.
"
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To read also: Olympic Games: behind closed doors and state of emergency in Tokyo
Shared epidemiologists
Will the Tokyo Games turn into a health disaster?
In fact, epidemiologists are not necessarily all on the same page.
"100,000 foreigners arriving in Tokyo while the Delta variant has relaunched the epidemic around the world ... Japan will pay a heavy price, that's for sure ..." warns one of them.
“
Crowds and large gatherings are the most risky things.
But the problem will not arise since these Olympics will take place behind closed doors.
Since that was decided, I tell myself that these Games could perhaps not go too badly
, “notes, more optimistically, another epidemiologist.
But this is not the opinion of the inhabitants of the capital.
According to all the polls, most of them are very worried.
►
To read also: Tokyo Olympics: the Emperor of Japan worried about a "possible acceleration of infections"
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