Condoms still available at Beijing Olympics, despite strict COVID protocols

Despite strict COVID protocols enforcing a lack of touching and interaction with the public, condoms will still be available for athletes at the Beijing Games.

The 2022 Winter Olympics, which start next week, feature heavy social distancing procedures intended to curb the spread of COVID-19 inside a 'closed loop' for Games participants and staff only.

Olympic athletes, media and workers will be cut off from the rest of China during the Games, with the only places they can go being competition venues, their accommodations and transportation between the two.

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China plans to isolate anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 for at least two days, pending a negative result. The country also has a mandatory 21-day isolation period for anyone entering the country who isn't vaccinated.

"All Olympic-related units will provide appropriate quantities of condoms for free at the appropriate time to people who've checked in to stay inside the loop," a spokesperson told Reuters.

Condoms have been widely distributed at the each Olympics since the 1988, when organisers first became conscious of the risk of HIV and AIDS.

In Rio, for instance, officials doled out 450,000 through vending machines and with signs that read, "Celebrate with a Condom."

In Japan last year, there were 150,000 condoms given to athletes only.