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The Tokyo Olympics opened in a cloud of uncertainty on Friday as the coronavirus pandemic still hangs over the world, with some athletes contracting the disease even before the Games began.
The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) said about 100 of the 613 US athletes in Tokyo for the Olympics were still unvaccinated. USOPC medical director Dr Jonathan Finnoff said 567 athletes completed their medical histories and an overwhelming majority responded that they were vaccinated.
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“Eighty-three percent is actually a substantial number and we’re pretty happy with it,” Finnoff said.
The International Olympic Committee estimated that around 85% of the inhabitants of the Olympic Village were vaccinated. The number is based on reports from each country’s Olympic committee, but is not an independently verified number.
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Finnoff said the United States does not differentiate its treatment of athletes based on vaccination status.
“The best thing to do is to assume everyone is at risk and reduce the risk by introducing COVID mitigation measures that we know work,” he said.
So far, only two American athletes are known to have tested positive for the coronavirus in Japan – beach volleyball player Taylor Crabb and alternative gymnast Kara Eaker.
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The coronavirus pandemic has postponed the start of the Tokyo Games for a year. Organizers determined at the last minute that domestic fans should be banned from attending the Games.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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