Australia begins vaccinating its players before the Tokyo Olympics

Australia On Monday, he began giving COVID-19 vaccines to athletes across the country to give them “comfort and safety” in their final preparations. Tokyo Olympics.

Australia has been relatively slow to apply vaccines to the general population, but Olympic and Paralympic athletes have been allowed to skip the waiting list before traveling to attend the Games from July 23 to August 8.

Former world swimming champion Kate Campbell He was one of the athletes who was vaccinated on Monday at the Queensland Athletic Academy in Brisbane.

“You’re taking a heavy burden on your shoulders by being able to get access to this vaccine,” said Campbell, who won back-to-back relay gold medals in the race. 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

“Really, I’d like to thank the COA (Australian Olympic Committee) and the federal government for letting us have this extra line of protection as we’re on our way to a somewhat unknown situation in Tokyo. So having this little bar is a huge weight that gets us away from our feet.” .

The COA has set up vaccination centers in the Australian state capitals and Canberra.

More than 2,000 Australian COA athletes, Paralympics, coaches and designated officials are expected to receive their vaccinations prior to travel.

The COA CEO, Matt CarrollHe told reporters, “Obviously it will give the athletes that comfort and this certainty in their competence. It’s a great help for the people of Japan too, and obviously for the athletes who go to Tokyo and also for the people of Australia, the athletes will return home safe as well.”

Japan extended its state of emergency in Tokyo until the end of May and is struggling to contain the spike in cases of COVID-19, raising questions about whether the Games should go ahead. The vaccination rate is the lowest among rich countries.

COA, its chief John Coates Carroll said he is also the president of the International Olympic Committee for the Tokyo Games, and is “very sure” they will move forward.

“The Japanese prime minister has said that the Games will go ahead and that plans have been made for the games themselves, for the athletes and for the protection of the Japanese people,” Carroll added. “Yes, the International Olympic Committee is doing a job … to explain well to the Japanese public that the risks they are exposed to are very low in the Games,” he concluded.