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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Helen Davidson in Taipei

Keeping the Olympics Covid-free: life inside Beijing’s ‘closed loop’ bubble

A Russian athlete arriving at Beijing airport on Friday ahead of the start of the Winter Olympics on 4 February
A Russian athlete arriving at Beijing airport on Friday ahead of the start of the Winter Olympics on 4 February. Photograph: Sergei Bobylev/Tass

Before Zhang Hua goes down for breakfast, he puts on a mask and rubber gloves. He leaves his hotel room and walks through halls while keeping a safe distance from others. Then he boards a specially commissioned bus driven along dedicated lanes to his job assisting foreign broadcasters preparing for the Winter Olympics.

In the media centre he takes his daily Covid test, and he could eat a meal delivered by a robot. Depending on where he’s staying, Zhang may be allowed to visit his hotel gym later, or go to another hotel’s restaurant, but otherwise this is the only journey he can take.

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