Finnish team members to be vaccinated before Tokyo Olympics

All the members of the Finnish Olympic and Paralympic teams will get coronavirus vaccines before the upcoming Tokyo Olympic scheduled to be begun on 23 July, said the Finnish Olympic Committee in a press release on Monday.

The vaccination will take place under a collaboration deal between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and vaccine manufacturer Pfizer and BioNTech.

The vaccination of athletes and the team staff either will not cost any extra money for Finland or not hamper the normal vaccination programme in the country .

“Some staff of the Olympic team will be vaccinated as part of the national vaccination programme. Those who do not have time will receive the vaccine through the IOC. This will not create any pressure on the municipalities or the national vaccination program,” said Mikko Salonen, the Secretary General of the Finnish Olympic Committee.

"Vaccination based on an agreement between the IOC, Pfizer and BioNTech will significantly improve the health safety of the Games and also of the Finnish team," said Maarit Valtonen, Chief Physician of the Finnish Olympic Committee in the press release.

The vaccination of the Olympic team members is expected to begin in early June.