In grim news, we are facing yet another summer COVID surge. Rates of infection are rising across 84 countries, according to the World Health Organization. And amid an invigorating Olympics games, even the most elite of us all are not immune.
After scoring bronze in the 200-meter finals Thursday, American sprinter Noah Lyles confirmed he tested positive for COVID two days prior. He’s among dozens of other athletes who have tested positive during the Game. He had not disclosed his diagnosis to his teammates, he told the Olympics broadcaster NBC after the race.
“We were trying to keep this as close to the chest as possible,” Lyles, wearing a mask, tells journalists following the race, according to NBC. “You never want to tell your competitors you’re sick. Why would you give them an edge over you?”
According to NBC’s live update reporting, Lyles confided in his coach, medical staff, and family, and made the decision to stay in the race because it was his “one shot.” Unlike the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, officials were not strict on COVID protocol this time around and left competing with the respiratory virus up to the athletes and their staff.
“I knew if I wanted to come out here and win, I had to give everything I had from the get-go. I didn’t have any time to save energy, so that was kind of the strategy for today,” he tells reporters at the games. “This is by far the best day I felt out of the last three days. I still wouldn’t say I’m 100% but I would definitely say I’m closer to like, 90 to 95%.”
Still, it feels like quite the head-turner after years of intense COVID protocols. Many have taken their opinions online, critiquing the sprinter for competing with the heavily contagious illness. One simply asks what everyone’s thinking: “You are allowed to compete if you have covid?” An epidemiologist commented on the news headline on Instagram, saying, “This is not something to celebrate. Putting other athletes’ (+ coaches, staff, fans, etc) health at risk is not OK.” No matter people’s illness severity, COVID is still highly contagious, experts have previously told Fortune.
Olympians with underlying conditions, including Lyles, who has asthma, may be at an increased risk for complications from COVID. And people with mild cases may still also have reduced performance. The few who develop long COVID can also experience reduced exercise capacity. After Lyles completed his race, he fell to the ground and received assistance into a wheelchair to be led off the track.
Later, Lyles reported having minor symptoms of COVID, saying he felt “quite lightheaded after that race, and shortness of breath and chest pain was definitely active … But after a while, I was able to catch my breath and get my wits about me. So I’m feeling a lot better now.”
The USA Track & Field organization issued a statement in response, confirming Lyles diagnosis from earlier this week. “In response, the USOPC [U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee] and USATF swiftly enacted all necessary protocols to prioritize his health, the wellbeing of our team, and the safety of fellow competitors.”
It continues: “Our primary commitment is to ensure the safety of Team USA athletes while upholding their right to compete … After a thorough medical evaluation, Noah chose to compete tonight. We respect his decision and will continue to monitor his condition closely.”
It’s yet to be determined if Lyles will compete in the 4x100m relay this weekend, which would be his last event of the games. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends that people isolate themselves for at least 24 hours after they begin to feel better and are having no signs of fever without fever-reducing medication.
An official statement regarding public health protocol from the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, the World Health Organization, the French Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Santé publique France and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control acknowledges that attending mass sporting events “increases your chances of being exposed to respiratory diseases, including whooping cough and COVID-19.”
The guidance recommends staying up-to-date on vaccinations and staying home, or wearing a mask if you feel any symptoms of respiratory illnesses, like a fever or cough.
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