Tokyo Olympics “looking at a cancellation” if coronavirus not contained (axios.com)

Article summary

The Tokyo Olympics may be cancelled if the coronavirus is not contained by late May. The article's content is not available, but the discussion suggests that containment is unlikely. The coronavirus has already spread to over 80,000 cases and 2,700 deaths, making it orders of magnitude larger than the SARS outbreak. The discussion focuses on the implications of this spread for the Olympics and other large events.

Main themes

• coronavirus containment
• Olympics cancellation
• vaccine development
• virus transmission and survival
• event safety and risks
• reporting and data reliability

What commenters say

• The coronavirus cannot be contained and a vaccine will not be available in time to save the Olympics.
• The true number of cases and deaths is unknown due to unreliable reporting from authoritarian regimes.
• The virus may be less deadly than initially thought, with most deaths occurring in the elderly.
• The southern hemisphere may be less affected by the virus due to warmer weather and more sunlight.
• The virus can survive on surfaces for extended periods and may be airborne, making it highly contagious.
• The incubation period of the virus is shorter than initially thought, with a median of 3 days.
• Vaccinating participants and attendees may be sufficient to safely host the Olympics, rather than vaccinating the entire world.
• The economic and entertainment importance of events like the Olympics and European football cup may lead to their continuation despite the risks.