Extensive swine flu precautions at
Asian Youth Games

By Samiddha Rathnayake reporting from Singapore

Dr Mani Jagatheesan, chairman of the Olympic Committee of Asia (OCA) confidently remarked that they have taken all the necessary steps to avert any possible swine flu cases entering into the Games Village premises of the 1st Asian Youth Games that was declared open last Monday. This was revealed at a media briefing held prior to the opening ceremony.

Medical officers with body temperature sensing cameras located at the Swissotel Singapore where all the athletes and officials are based

Commenting further on the matter Jagatheesan said that 70 foreign medical officials have been appointed to look into the matter and so far they have done a great job to make sure that athletes and the officials in the Games Village remain healthy. At Swissotel, Singapore where all the participating players and officials stay, each official and player are given a tag after undergoing a morning and evening body temperature check-up and no one is allowed to enter the dining hall without that tag. Media pack that was given to the journalists also contained a thermometer and liquid hand wash pack which enables all the journalists to have a close check on their health.
Singapore health ministry also has taken a large portion of the responsibility on the matter and they have fixed several temperature sensor cameras at the Games Village that would automatically detect persons with temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius.
Jagatheesan also said that they are keeping close contacts with the World Health Organisation (WHO) who has given them the necessary instructions and medicines in case an emergency occurs. “Normally my duties and responsibilities are mostly limited to matters relating to doping. This is the first time that we (OCA) have to face this sort of a problem which is totally different to our usual sports related duties at a mega event such as this. We have to be extra vigilant and thankfully WHO and Singapore Health Ministry have rendered us the much needed cooperation and support and we are really grateful for that,” he added further.
Apart from the precautionary procedures, several Singapore Hospitals are said to have given prominence to the health of the participants by having separate divisions for their health purposes.
Addressing the media, chairman, sports committee of OCA, Wei Jizhong said though Singapore is a small country, it has the potential of conducting a mega sports feast of this magnitude. “It (Singapore) is one of the most developed countries in Asia and even in the rest of the world. Backed by its development, they have got all the facilities to conduct a well organised sports event. Singapore will also be staging the Youth Olympic Games next year and the current Games will be an excellent opportunity for us to understand our strengths and weaknesses” he said.
Secretary General of OAC, Raja Randhir Sing, said that with this sort of an event they hope to bring the Asian youth under one flag so they can make the whole of Asia proud at the Youth Olympic Games next year. “Asian youth for the future will be the theme that OCA has prepared for Youth Olympics. We want this event to be a good learning opportunity for all the participating youth to make that motto a reality” he said.