Health Experts Clash on Postponing or Moving 2016 Rio Olympics
To date, there has never been an instance where an Olympic Games host city was replaced by another citing medical concerns. However, the 2016 edition of this global sporting event could set a precedent. Is the growing concern about the possible spread of the Zika virus enough reason to justify the deferment or relocation of the Rio Olympic games?
Health experts are at loggerheads over the matter. On one side, the UN through its health agency, the World Health Organization (WHO), is still maintaining its position that there is no need for such drastic measures, as per Business Insider.
The WHO reiterated that based on its current assessment, postponing or moving the games won't have a substantial difference to the potential spread of the virus.
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"Brazil is 1 of almost 60 countries and territories which to date report continuing transmission of Zika by mosquitoes," WHO said in a statement. "People continue to travel between these countries and territories for a variety of reasons. The best way to reduce risk of disease is to follow public health travel advice."
This was amid the plea from a group of some 150 health experts from numerous countries around the globe for the health agency to reconsider its stand.
According to an open letter directed at WHO's director-general, Dr. Margaret Chan, and copied to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), there is a need to postpone or relocate the games in Rio because of the problem's seriousness. The authors of the letter cited scientific findings and the declaration of WHO itself that Zika is, indeed, a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern."
"An unnecessary risk is posed when 500,000 foreign tourists from all countries attend the Games, potentially acquire that strain, and return home to places where it can become endemic," says the open letter supported not just by doctors, but also by members of the academe from various fields.
"Should that happen to poor, as-yet unaffected places (e.g., most of South Asia and Africa) the suffering can be great. It is unethical to run the risk, just for Games that could proceed anyway, if postponed and/or moved."
These health experts and professionals from different countries like the U.S., the U.K., Canada and Japan, among others, are making a call despite what they referred to as a "widespread fatalism" that the upcoming 2016 Games are inevitable or "too big to fail."
