The British Medical Journal (BMJ) published an editorial on April 14, 2021, highlighting the health risks related to the 2020 Olympics rescheduled in Japan in late July 2021.
Excerpts from this BMJ article are included below:
‘In February 2021, the G7 leaders confirmed their support of Japan’s commitment to holding the Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo (Tokyo 2020) “safely and securely… as a symbol of global unity in overcoming covid-19.’
Attending Japan’s Olympic and Paralympic Games Comes With Risks
Test and Travel Strategies Might Be Beneficial
Almost 90% of infectious travelers could be detected with rapid SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus tests at the airport, according to a computer simulation by UC San Francisco (UCSF) researchers.
Furthermore, these researchers say most imported virus infections could be prevented with a combination of pre-travel testing and a five-day, post-travel quarantine and continued testing.
International Travelers Exposed to Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria
A recent study published by The Lancet could be the first to characterize in real-time the dynamics of acquiring multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial colonization during international travel.
This study’s data suggest that travelers are exposed to a more significant burden of multidrug-resistant bacteria than previously thought.
The data published on February 23, 2021, emphasized the need for preventing travelers’ diarrhea and limiting antibiotic use, addressing the two major factors predisposing colonization.
US Government Offers Ebola Outbreak Support in Africa
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced it is committed to bringing an end to the 12th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Guinea.
The CDC stated in a press release on March 25, 2021, it is working closely with ministries of health and international and local partners in DRC, Guinea, and bordering countries to respond to these Ebola outbreaks.
The Bahamas Re-Welcomes Travelers to the Caribbean
The warm Caribbean Sea and sandy beaches of The Bahamas are once again welcoming millions of vacationers from around the world.
However, due to the ongoing fluidity of the COVID-19 pandemic, entry requirements for The Bahamas have changed, says the U.S. Embassy for The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Japan Restricts Visitors to Its Summer Olympics
The International Olympic and Paralympic Games announced today Japanese parties had decided not to allow entry into Japan by overseas spectators for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.
This decision is due to the prevailing worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, said the IOC in a press statement issued on March 20, 2021.
“We share the disappointment of all enthusiastic Olympic fans from around the world, and of course the families and friends of the athletes, who were planning to come to the Games,” stated IOC President Thomas Bach.
Europe’s Digital Green Certificate Could Empower Free Movements
The European Commission (EC) announced creating a Digital Green Certificate to facilitate safe free movement inside the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Digital Green Certificate will be proof that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, received a negative test result, or recovered from COVID-19.
Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová, stated on March 17, 2021, “The Digital Green Certificate offers an EU-wide solution to ensure that EU citizens benefit from a harmonized digital tool to support free movement in the EU.”
African Union Trusted Travel Pass Launches with Ethiopian Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines announced it has partnered with the African Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (Africa CDC) to implement the African Union Trusted Travel Pass to make continental travel more accessible and safer.
The Trusted Travel pass program ensures each country’s COVID-19 regulations regarding travel requirements are met with minimal hassle to the traveling public.
Ebola Travel Alerts Expanded in Africa
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reissued high-level Travel Alerts regarding Ebola virus disease outbreaks in various African countries.
Ebola virus disease (Ebola hemorrhagic fever) is a rare and deadly disease that periodically causes outbreaks in several African countries.
On March 12, 2021, the CDC elevated two Ebola Travel Alerts to Level 3 status, Avoid Nonessential Travel.
COVID-19 Quarantine and Testing Guidance Concerning International Travel
Travel measures, such as quarantine and testing of travelers, are designed to reduce the likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 transmission before, during, and after travel, stated the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
This ECDC document published on March 12, 2021, summarises the current scientific evidence to support decision-making concerning quarantine and testing of travelers, considering the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) and the current epidemiological situation in the EU/EEA.