Therese Sta. MariaThe Tokyo Olympics just started and we’ve already heard about positive cases of COVID-19 from athletes and coaches who had to be sent home. But for the most part, things are going smoothly. In fact, many people seem to be curious about how Japan is pulling this off. To that, Australian athlete Tilly Kearns created a TikTok video where she showed everyone a peek into the safety protocols in the Olympic Village.
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To be more specific, she took the viewers inside the Olympic dining hall. Kearns’ TikTok video shows a quick step-by-step process. First, athletes sanitise their hands near the entrance and are asked to put disposable gloves on before they touch anything. Next, they get their individual trays wherein each tray has been washed and sanitised.
Image credit: Tilly Kearns
The video also showed how each table had cubicle divisions where athletes could take their individual seats. According to Kearns, there were disinfectant wipes in every cubicle and everyone was expected to wipe the surface around them, from the table and chair to the dividers. “It makes mealtime conversations pretty difficult because it’s hard to hear through them, but it keeps us safe,” she said about the screen dividers.
Watch the full video here.
Her Australian team of water polo players also adheres to a team rule wherein once they take their masks off, they only give themselves 10 minutes to eat. They put on a fresh mask post-meal, pick up their own trash, and sanitise again on their way out.
Kearns’ TikTok video about the safety protocols in the Olympic Village has already gained 5.2 million views. Her previous video about the Olympic Village beds has also earned a whopping 14.1 million views to date. To see more of her Olympic Village updates, check out her TikTok profile.
Image credit: Tokyo 2020
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Olympic fans have mixed reactions. Many are impressed by the systematic process in place, while some fans say it was a sign that the Tokyo Olympics should have been postponed again. What do you think about these safety protocols in the Olympic Village?
Featured image credit (L-R): Tokyo 2020 ; Tilly Kearns | Official Instagram Pages
