COVID-19 countermeasures at Beijing 2022 in second Playbook

BEIJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- The second edition of the Beijing 2022 Playbook was released on Monday, featuring updated COVID-19 countermeasures and based on the established principles specified in the first Playbook for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

The Playbook was jointly published by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee.

The updated information mainly covers the vaccination, customs entry requirements and Games-time health monitoring and isolation, which will help athletes, team officials and all other participants finalize their plans for their travel to, arrival in, and departure from China.

VACCINATION

Vaccines are proven to reduce infection and transmission of COVID-19. Participants are considered fully vaccinated according to the requirements of their country or region of residence, while exceptions, based on medical reasons, may be granted for athletes and team officials on a case-by-case basis.

The detailed criteria for a medical exemption have been established by a joint panel of medical experts nominated by the organizing committee, the IOC and the IPC, which include severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis to a component of a COVID-19 vaccine, myocarditis or pericarditis following an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, serious adverse event following immunization (results in hospitalization for example) and several other criteria defined in the second Playbook.

Anyone receives an exemption, according to the detailed criteria, should tell the COVID-19 Liaison Officers (CLO) who have access to the latest available information and briefing materials. Further information will be published in the lead up to the Games.

CUSTOMS ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Air travel to Beijing will be available through charter, temporary and commercial flights only if the participant holds Games accreditation or a valid visa supported by an organizing committee invitation letter. The first point of entry into the Chinese mainland must be Beijing Capital International Airport.

Games participants should provide their flight requests (including inbound and outbound dates) to their organizing committee contact at least 15 working days before their planned departure. The organizing committee will provide flight options within a maximum of seven days of receiving the request.

Two negative test results taken at least 24 hours apart will be required to enter China, within 96 hours (including one negative test result within 72 hours) of the departure time of the direct flight to China. Participants will also need to present two sets of QR codes required by the Chinese authorities for travel to China - the Green Health QR Code and the Customs Health Declaration QR Code.

It is recommended that the Beijing 2022 participants keep physical interaction to a strict minimum during the 14 days before traveling to China and avoid unnecessary contact with crowds.

GAMES-TIME HEALTH MONITORING

Participants can bring their own thermometer to continue with daily health monitoring and ensure consistency. The temperature of participants will be checked with an infrared thermometer before they enter training and competition venues and the Olympic and Paralympic Villages.

If a participant records a temperature of 37.3 degrees Celsius or higher, after a short break the temperature will be taken again with a mercury thermometer. If the temperature is still high, the participant will be taken to a designated room at the venue for health screening and consultation with medical staff.

In addition to tests taken before departure and on arrival in China, participants will be tested daily for COVID-19 to minimize the risk of undetected positive cases that could transmit the virus.

All sample collection sites will operate from 06:00 to 23:00. If a test outside of regular opening hours is required due to competition, training or other operational need, the participant should tell the CLO in advance so as to be provided with an alternative venue or time for the sample collection.

ISOLATION

To stop the spread of COVID-19, it is vital to break the chain of human-to-human transmission. That's why it is important to have strict protocols to identify who has COVID-19 as early as possible through testing, to identify to whom the virus might have been passed through contact tracing, and to use isolation and quarantine to stop the virus from spreading further.

If the COVID-19 (PCR) test results of a participant are unclear or positive, the participant will take a confirmatory COVID-19 (PCR) test. If the confirmatory test is positive, the CLO/team doctor and on-site medical staff will confirm whether the case is symptomatic or asymptomatic and where the isolation will take place.

The isolation room will be approximately 25 square meters in area, and training equipment, fresh air through open windows, and mental health support will be available.

An isolated participant will be discharged from isolation in accordance with the discharge guidelines in China and should become familiar with the entry requirements for the destination and transit countries, and travel to Beijing Capital International Airport using dedicated Games transport.

A participant identified as a close contact will have the option to take dedicated transport to the airport and leave China, as long as the participant has been tested negative for COVID-19 within the last 24 hours.

Further policies and briefings will continue to be provided over the coming weeks. Acknowledging the continually evolving global health situation, necessary COVID-19 countermeasures will be implemented right up to and during the Games, in an endeavor to ensure the safety of all participants and the local population.