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The inoculation of South Korea s Olympic and Paralympic squad has finally begun.
100 athletes and coaches set to participate in the upcoming Tokyo Games received Pfizer s COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday at the National Medical Center in Seoul.
The first batch included 2012 Olympic taekwondo silver medalist Lee Dae-hoon and star volleyball player Kim Yeon-koung. I was nervous at first, but it didn t hurt as much as I thought it would. I think I ll be less anxious after my second dose.
According to the nation s Olympic body, around 500 others will be inoculated by May 4th.
And in total, 931 people from Korea s delegation will be vaccinated before the Summer Olympics begin in July.
This summer s virus-postponed Olympics could be held behind closed doors, Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto admitted on Friday.
Former Olympian Hashimoto said the Games could only be a success if organisers completely protect athletes and people in Japan, and that she is hopeful people will be glad the event went ahead.
Overseas spectators have already been barred from the Games, and this week a decision on domestic fans was delayed until June, with organisers citing a new wave of infections in Japan.
The delayed Olympic Games may now take place without fans, admitted Seiko Hashimoto
Dina Asher-Smith and the Great British medal hopefuls may compete in an empty stadium
South Korea begins vaccinating athletes against COVID-19 ahead of Tokyo 2020 Friday, 30 April 2021
South Korea has begun vaccinating athletes against COVID-19 in the build-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said it had been in discussions with the Korea Centre for Disease Control and Prevention since January over plans to vaccinate the Tokyo 2020 team.
An initial vaccination list was prepared and confirmed earlier this month, which formed the basis for the final vaccination plan.
Athletes will be given the Pfizer vaccine under the plan produced, which considers the vaccination cycle for each vaccine as well as the competition schedule for Tokyo 2020.
UPDATE 1-S.Korea athletes headed to Olympics relieved to get coronavirus shots Reuters 4 hrs ago
(Recasts)
By Sangmi Cha and Josh Smith
SEOUL, April 29 (Reuters) - About 100 South Korean athletes and coaches traveling to Tokyo for the Olympics received their first doses of coronavirus vaccines on Thursday, as the country s inoculation program struggles with a shortage of supplies.
Vaccinations are not mandatory for participants in the Games, set to run from July 23 to Aug 8 after being pushed back from last year because of the pandemic, but they are recommended. Getting this shot makes me feel the Olympics is truly around the corner, taekwondo player Lee Dae-Hoon said at a public clinic in Seoul, the capital, adding that he did not experience any unusual symptoms immediately.