World Health Organization officials indicated Monday that they do not believe Olympic athletes should receive priority access to COVID-19 vaccines, particularly if it means cutting ahead of the world's health care workers and elderly population.
During a news conference at the WHO's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, a reporter asked if athletes should be prioritized in any way, with a little less than six months until the Tokyo Olympics are scheduled to begin. The question followed recent comments from the president of France's national Olympic committee, who said it would be "extremely difficult" for athletes who have not been vaccinated to compete.