24/7 elevator access is a luxury. Teams are required to submit daily blueprints for elevator use to the hotel for a designated period of time, and operators (ensuring antigen-negative testing) are required to wear full protective gear to prevent team members from touching the elevator buttons directly.
The reporter's heart moved, want to press the elevator button, then a staff member timely reminder.
It is important to guard against people as well as things. When the reporter was in Japan, his partner sent the phone card to the front desk, and this insignificant phone card had to go through several sterilization procedures before entering the "bubble".
Members of the Chinese team are required to undergo a daily nucleic acid test, and can only walk out of the room with a negative result. The nucleic acid testing process also follows the "zero-touch" principle, which is slightly different from the "spitting style" that was so highly regarded at the Tokyo Olympics: one holds a swab in one's mouth for thirty seconds, and then places the swab into a test tube.
In addition, in accordance with JFA regulations, the hotel has arranged the restaurant in a classroom style, ensuring that there is sufficient spacing between tables to enable one person to eat at a table.
"Oral" nucleic acid test tubes, photo by Xiao Shiyao, Xinhua News Agency.
Under such stringent epidemic prevention measures, the hotel staff can hardly become close contacts of the team, naturally no need to be overly nervous. This is not the first time that such a situation has arisen, and each time it has been dealt with in a timely manner.
For the entire Chinese team competing outside the country in the 12-team tournament, the risk of infection hangs over their heads like the sword of Damocles. If the team is stranded overseas due to the epidemic, it will have an immeasurable impact on the national soccer team.
Although absolute safety cannot be guaranteed, 25,000 spectators are expected to attend the match against Japan on the 27th. Not long ago, a Japanese fan was diagnosed after watching the Emperor's Cup soccer match with a fever, becoming a major source of the spread of the new coronavirus.
Being under a dangerous wall, it is imperative for all of us in the Chinese team to fulfill our duties and accomplish our mission. However, following a strict epidemic prevention regime will inevitably involve sacrifices.
At this moment, more understanding leads to more solidarity. With more solidarity, there is more hope.
