According to Amir Attaran, DPhil, a professor of law and medicine at the University of Ottawa in Canada, the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games must be moved, postponed or both due to the threat of the Zika virus outbreak.
Dr. Attaran's column was published in the Harvard Public Health Review.
"Simply put, Zika infection is more dangerous, and Brazil's outbreak more extensive, than scientists reckoned a short time ago," wrote Dr. Attaran.
As well-loved as the games are, the author outlined five reasons he believes the international sporting event cannot safely continue as planned. His points are summarized below.
1. The Zika outbreak is worse in Rio de Janeiro than previously predicted, so earlier assumptions of safety made by the International Olympic Committee are no longer valid.
2. The viral Zika strain currently afflicting Brazil is much more dangerous than the strain first discovered nearly 70 years ago. For instance, the current strain has been linked with the nervous system condition Guillain-Barré syndrome, the birth defect microcephaly and other neurological disorders.
3. The Olympics would speed up the global transmission of Zika virus. "Scientists can disagree on how much the mass migration of 500,000 foreigners will accelerate the virus's global spread and make the pandemic worse — but none can possibly argue that it will slow it down or make things better," wrote Dr. Attaran.
4. Creating new technologies and treatments to fight the outbreak will become harder if the outbreak spreads any faster. Already, scientists are putting in overtime to develop and test Zika vaccines, antiviral drugs, insecticides and genetically-engineered mosquito.
5. Failing to delay the games would contradict the point of the Olympics. According to the International Olympic Committee's charter, "Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on…social responsibility and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles." Dr. Attaran argues spreading disease goes against this very principle by putting people, especially people in poorer countries, at risk of getting the virus.
"Given the choice between accelerating a dangerous new disease or not — for it is impossible that Games will slow Zika down — the answer should be a no-brainer for the Olympic organizers too," wrote Dr. Attaran. "Putting sentimentality aside, clearly the Rio 2016 Games must not proceed."
While the Olympics are expect to proceed as scheduled for now, the U.S. Olympics Committee encouraged athletes and staff concerned about potential exposure to Zika to consider skipping the 2016 Olympic Games back in January.
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