Tokyo chief: COVID-19 vaccine a key for 2021 Olympics

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

 

Tokyo Olympics organizers said that if no official vaccine against COVID-19 would be formulated, it would be hard for the most prestigious sports event to push through next year.

The organizers pointed out that if the vaccine would be introduced not later than 2021, then the chance that the Olympics would happen will be 100 percent.

According to Olympics organizing committee president Yoshiro Mori, the only way that they can reassure everyone of a risk-free event is the presence of the vaccine.

“If things continue as they are now, we couldn’t. It would be whether the coronavirus woe is settling down. Specifically, the first point will be that a vaccine or drug has been developed,” said president Mori.

Without a vaccine, President Mori said that the only option left for the Olympics to proceed would be to conduct the games audience-less.

“If it’s the only way to do it, then it’s something we’d have to consider. If that happens, there might be talk of cancellation,” he added.