Olympics: IOC urges vaccinations for athletes before Tokyo Games

Kyodo -- Jan 27

The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday recommended athletes and officials receive coronavirus vaccinations before traveling for the postponed Tokyo Games, emphasizing the need to protect the health and safety of people in Japan.

In a teleconference with national Olympic committees, IOC President Thomas Bach reiterated that vaccinations are part of a "toolbox" of coronavirus countermeasures being devised by the IOC and organizers of both the Tokyo Games and the 2022 Beijing Winter Games.

The recommendation comes amid growing skepticism about the viability of the games due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, including in Japan, where a state of emergency is in place for the capital and 10 other prefectures following a surge in infections.