Olympians to get the jab
Olympic officials are working with the Government to secure Pfizer doses of the coronavirus vaccine, to ensure all Australian athletes and officials are vaccinated before they leave for the Tokyo games.
It’s now 100 days until the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo games – yet only a small number of the 1400 athletes, staff and officials who will travel, have been vaccinated.
Australian Olympic Committee boss Matt Carroll has mandated that athletes and officials be vaccinated before they leave, but the warning that people under 50 shouldn’t use the AstraZeneca injection is providing a complication.
“We’re very confident that by the time the team is in Tokyo they’ll all be vaccinated,” he said.
Mr Carroll says while he doesn’t want Olympians to jump the queue, he is in negotiations with Health Minister Greg Hunt to ensure there is access to Pfizer jabs.
Australian Olympic team Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman says they have their priorities.
“We’re obviously wanting to get all the front line workers covered and all the elderly covered. But at a point in time and before the games it would be highly advantageous to have that vaccination,” he said.
Those athletes that have been vaccinated, have had an injection because of their jobs away from sport.
Hear the full interview below.