Beijing is on excessive alert for the coronavirus after a handful of small outbreaks in numerous elements of the nation.
The Beijing Winter Olympics organisers have introduced that the torch relay shall be cordoned off due to concern concerning the unfold of the coronavirus.
The relay, involving 1,200 torchbearers, will start on February 2 and wind up two days later when the video games open within the capital, Beijing, and neighbouring Hebei province.
“This torch relay will at all times prioritise security,” Yang Haibin, an official from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports activities instructed a briefing on Friday.
“Bearing in mind elements reminiscent of epidemic prevention … the torch relay and ceremonial actions shall be organized in secure and controllable closed venues.”
Beijing, the primary metropolis to host each the Summer time and Winter Video games, is on excessive alert for the coronavirus after a handful of small outbreaks in numerous elements of the nation that authorities have responded to with sweeping restrictions and mass testing.
All the torchbearers should be vaccinated and shall be examined for the coronavirus and have their well being monitored for 14 days earlier than the relay.
The relay route, which shall be a lot shorter than earlier ones, will embrace a cease on the Nice Wall, China’s most well-known landmark, in addition to central Beijing’s Olympic parks, the Summer time Palace and different venues, together with Worldwide Grape Exhibition Backyard and Zhangjiakou Industrial Tradition Park.
Solely chosen members of the general public shall be allowed to observe the relay in individual.
Beijing and the Hebei metropolis of Zhangjiakou will stage the video games from February 4 to February 20 inside a “closed loop” to maintain contributors separate from the general public, and with out spectators from most of the people.
Preparations for the video games have been disrupted by COVID-19 in addition to a diplomatic boycott by nations together with the USA over China’s human rights file.
China says that betrays Olympic ideas and denies rights abuses.