Tokyo Olympics Held Normally?…UK Health Expert Says "Possible Only After Vaccine Released"

On March 9th, promotional materials for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were installed at an intersection in Chiyoda-gu, Tokyo, Japan. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Hee-eun Park] There are concerns that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics may still face difficulties in being held normally next year without the commercialization of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Debbie Sridhar, Chair of Global Health at the University of Edinburgh, UK, stated in an interview with BBC on the 18th (Korean time), "If a COVID-19 vaccine is not available by July next year, holding the Tokyo Olympics is a very unrealistic prospect."

She emphasized, "The vaccine must be available by next year for the Tokyo Olympics to be possible," adding, "A vaccine that is effective and affordable for everyone will be a game changer."

Meanwhile, as COVID-19 showed signs of global spread in March, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo Summer Olympics Organizing Committee decided to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by one year.

However, as there has been little change in the trend of COVID-19 spread, some have expressed concerns that normal hosting may still be difficult next year.

In response, the organizing committee stated that there is "no Plan B" regarding the hosting of the Olympics in July next year.

Additionally, the IOC Coordination Commission overseeing Olympic preparations and the organizing committee are reportedly operating a joint steering committee to carry out tasks for the normal hosting in July 2021.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.