Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Breastfeeding Athletes Have To Choose Between Babies And Olympics
Aliphine Tuliamuk, the U.S. Olympic marathoner who doubles as a new mom, has said that she "cannot imagine" going to the 2021 Games without her breastfeeding daughter, Zoe. Olympic organizers, however, say she'll probably have to. An International Olympic Committee spokesperson told Yahoo Sports on Monday that it is "highly unlikely" that "unaccredited people from overseas" 鈥 which would include infants and caregivers 鈥 will be granted entry into Japan for the Games. (Bushnell, 6/28)
A Canadian basketball player is being 鈥渇orced to decide between being a breastfeeding mom or an Olympic athlete.鈥 Kim Gaucher says COVID-19 rules prevent her from bringing her daughter, Sophie, who was born in March, to the Tokyo Olympics next month. In an Instagram video, she adds that she has tried appeals but 鈥渘obody can do anything.鈥 The 37-year-old Gaucher is looking into options, such as shipping milk, but has run into complications. (6/24)
In other Olympics news 鈥
A rise in daily cases of the coronavirus in Tokyo has triggered fears of a possible fifth wave of infections, less than a month before the city is due to host the Olympics. Tokyo reported 317 infections on Monday 鈥 an increase of 81 from the same day last week and the ninth week-on-week same-day rise in a row. (McCurry, 6/29)
Japan鈥檚 Olympic chief on Monday said there was 鈥渘o way鈥 to ensure zero coronavirus cases among teams arriving for the Tokyo Games, as officials prepare to tighten screening procedures. Japanese Olympic Committee president Yasuhiro Yamashita said 鈥渢horough measures鈥 would be necessary at airports, after two members of Uganda鈥檚 team tested positive last week following their arrival in Japan. (6/28)
Japan鈥檚 vaccination drive has gone from a marathon to a sprint as the country rushes to protect as many of its 126 million people as possible from Covid-19 ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. Less than a month away from the lighting of the ceremonial torch, the Japanese government recently announced that it had hit the benchmark of vaccinating 1 million people in a single day. (Siemaszko, 6/28)
Elsewhere around the globe 鈥
Mexico鈥檚 Supreme Court has removed the nation鈥檚 prohibition against consuming marijuana, allowing anyone who wants a permit for recreational use of cannabis to be able to receive one. The decision eliminates all legal obstacles for the Health Ministry to authorize planting, harvesting, possession and transportation of pot for personal use by adults, the court said in a statement. The ruling doesn鈥檛 decriminalize the sale of cannabis, or its use without a permit. (Averbuch, 6/29)