Even the Olympic torch is social distancing.
Japanese officials announced on Tuesday that the Olympic flame had been moved to an “undisclosed location” to prevent tourists from gathering in front of the torch, which was on display in Fukushima. The decision was made in concert with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s coronavirus emergency declaration.
“Tokyo 2020 will now keep the flame in an undisclosed location to prevent people from gathering,” the Olympic organizers said.
The torch arrived in Japan from Greece on March 26 and was making its way through the country until reaching Tokyo for the games. The Olympics have been delayed for one year because of the virus.
As of Wednesday, Japan had more than 4,200 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 92 related deaths. The nation just implemented a mandate banning large gatherings as it works to prevent a larger outbreak. Globally, more than 1.4 million people have been infected and more than 83,000 have died.
