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Winter Olympic Games in Beijing

Beijing introduces measures to combat COVID-19 ahead of Olympics

The new measures come into effect immediately, the International Olympic Committee informed

© AP Photo/Andy Wong

TASS, January 24. The organizers of the Beijing Winter Olympics, together with China’s authorities, have approved new measures to combat the spread of COVID-19, a release published Monday on the website of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) states.

The new measures come into effect immediately. For both airport testing and screening testing, participants whose PCR results test positive will be required to isolate in designated isolation facilities for 10 days.

Visitors to the Olympics will be able to return from isolation after this period if they are not displaying any COVID-19 symptoms and negative tests are provided. In this case, they will receive the status of "close contact."

The time period for which a person is deemed a close contact is reduced from 14 to seven days. During that period, testing will be carried out twice daily. Close contacts will be able to choose whether their PCR test sample is collected as a nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab.

For participants who repeatedly provide positive test results, a separate policy that will enable them to return home at the earliest possible time will be developed.

The 24th Winter Olympics will be held in Beijing on February 4-20 and the Paralympics will take place on March 4-13.

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Winter Olympic Games in Beijing

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