Due to mounting concerns about Omicron, charter flights are scheduled to be used to transport athletes to the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
The Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee confirmed that overseas Games participants will need to rely heavily on a charter or temporary aircraft to fly them to the Chinese capital.
Thousands of athletes and officials are expected to travel to Beijing for the Winter Olympics, which take place from February 4 to 20.
But the emergence of Omicron, which is said to be four times more transmissible in its early stages than the delta variant, has caused many countries to impose travel restrictions.
Omicron was first detected in South Africa, but has now spread to dozens of countries around the globe.
China, has not yet detected a case of Omicron but the situation globally is a cause for concern for the organizers of Beijing 2022.
The Omicron variant has already been detected in over 50 countries, and the situation for preventing the epidemic remains grave and complicated.
According to reports, 17 Chinese and international airlines have agreed to run temporary flights out of Hong Kong, Paris, Tokyo, and Singapore.
The emergence of the Omicron variant will be a source of concern for the organizers of Beijing 2022 as they seek to welcome athletes from all over the world.
During peak periods at Beijing Airport, there will be 15 departure and 13 arrival flights every day.
Any foreign attendees to the Games, according to Zhang, must arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport, where all those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will enter a “closed-loop management system.”
Those inside the closed-loop management system will be tested for COVID-19 on a daily basis and will be allowed to visit only approved locations using approved modes of transportation.
To enter the closed loop without quarantine, it will be necessary to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to departure for China, according to the rules.
The system will be in place throughout the participants’ stay in all three Olympic zones in Beijing, Zhangjiakou, and Yanqing.
The closed circuit includes all competition and training sites, as well as the Olympic and Paralympic Villages and other designated areas.
Only China Mainland residents will be permitted to attend the Games due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with a decision on spectator capacity at venues set to be made in the coming weeks.
