The International Olympic and the International Paralympic committees announced new COVID-19 guidelines for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing on Wednesday, banning foreign spectators from watching in person.
While Chinese attendees will be permitted, the ban on spectators outside of the country means the families of the athletes cannot attend. This is a softer stance than the Summer Olympics held earlier this year in Tokyo, at which no spectators were admitted.
“All parties feel for the athletes and the spectators from around the world, knowing that the restriction on spectators from outside mainland China had to be put in place in order to ensure the safe holding of the Games this winter,” the committee said in the release.
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Other changes include a 21-day quarantine for athletes who are not fully vaccinated and daily COVID-19 testing for all athletes regardless of vaccination status. Additionally, the committee plans to issue an order to stay within an isolated Olympic atmosphere called “the closed-loop management system,” which will provide transportation for the athletes. Vaccinated athletes can enter the closed management system as soon as they arrive.
According to the committee, additional guidelines will be released next month in the “playbooks,” and updated guidelines will be released in December.
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Team USA announced earlier this month that all athletes and staff members must be fully vaccinated by Nov. 1 or receive a medical or religious exemption in order to attend the Games.
The Winter Olympic Games begin on Feb. 4, and the Paralympic Games will start one month later on March 4.
