BEIJING (AFP) – China warned on Tuesday (Nov 30) that the fast-spreading Omicron Covid-19 variant would trigger challenges in internet hosting subsequent February’s Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Though China has largely quashed the coronavirus inside its borders by journey restrictions and snap lockdowns, recurrent home outbreaks linked to the Delta variant have put the authorities on excessive alert.
“I feel it would positively result in challenges linked to prevention and management,” overseas ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian mentioned, including that Beijing “appreciates the efforts by South Africa in providing well timed info” on the variant.
“However China has numerous expertise in responding to Covid-19,” Zhao added.
“I firmly imagine the Winter Olympics will probably be carried out easily.”
China is decided to tug off a easy Olympic Video games unmarred by Covid-19, in what could be a propaganda win for Beijing’s zero-tolerance Covid-19 technique.
1000’s of athletes, media and individuals arriving from abroad are required to enter a strict “closed-loop” bubble.
Testing, vaccinations and the bubble are “among the many very important components that may allow the Video games to happen safely,” mentioned an Worldwide Olympic Committee spokesman.
“The most recent developments relating to Covid-19 reinforce the significance of all of the measures… which will be additional tailored if essential.”
Organisers final month admitted that the virus could be the “largest problem” in internet hosting the Video games.
However well being authorities mentioned they’d the means to deal with the brand new variant.
“China has already executed a great job of technical preparations” for the Omicron variant, mentioned Xu Wenbo, head of the virus management institute at China’s Centre for Illness Management and Prevention.
“We’ve got many traces of technical analysis, together with preliminary technical analysis into deactivated vaccines, protein-based vaccines and vector-based vaccines,” he mentioned at a separate Tuesday briefing.
Greater than 1.1 billion individuals have been totally vaccinated towards the coronavirus as of Monday, in response to well being authorities.
