What are the main infectious diseases that Olympians — and fans attending the Games — should be wary of?
The flu is a big one. Although we’re nearing the end of the flu season, keep in mind that we’ve been having a more severe flu season in the northern hemisphere. With COVID, at least here, we’ve been seeing it circulate at relatively low levels, but whenever you have large crowds gathering in the winter season, there will be a risk of getting the flu or COVID.
We’re unfortunately seeing a worldwide resurgence in measles, and a lot of that has to do with declining vaccination rates, such as in countries like the United States. Measles is highly contagious, so if you have even one case, that could potentially cause an outbreak at a gathering like this.
For people living near one another and sharing food, there can also be a risk of norovirus, which is sometimes called the winter vomiting disease. This disease is often transmitted by food — such as at buffets — and it’s characterized by a few days of vomiting and diarrhea.
Another potential risk when you have large gatherings of people is the spread of STIs, which is known to happen more commonly among people traveling in general. It’s important to practice safe sex and remember precautions like using condoms.
In previous Games, there have been outbreaks of illnesses like the flu and norovirus. Since there are six Olympic Villages for the athletes to stay at this year, do you think that could potentially reduce the risk of an outbreak?
I think this probably will help reduce the risk because people are more spread out. And, importantly, if any illnesses do lead to an outbreak, it will be more insulated and contained.
In general, at an event like this, there is a risk for an illness to break out, but I don’t think there is a high risk for another pandemic to start.
With all the international travel that comes with the Games, are there any concerns about infections from different parts of the world traveling with the athletes or fans to new regions?
I could foresee measles being the biggest issue we have with that. I think there is a low risk of tuberculosis being spread, but that is always a concern given that it is more prevalent in some parts of the world.
In Italy, there have been some concerns about an outbreak of chikungunya, which is a virus spread by mosquitoes. This is usually more of a concern in the summer and not the winter, but it may be something for tourists to be aware of.
It’s not just Olympians who are at risk. With more than 1 million tickets being sold to attend the Games, fans from across the globe are traveling to the event. In general, what steps do you recommend Olympians and other international travelers take to protect themselves from these infections?
Number one is to talk to your doctor and find out what vaccines are recommended for you. We generally recommend vaccinations against flu and COVID at this time of year. Although measles is on the rise, the vaccine is about 93% to 95% effective, so I would advise everyone to get their recommended vaccines and be up to date on their measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines. I know there is a lot of noise about vaccines, so I encourage people to talk with their physician to go over any questions you have.
At CU Anschutz, we have travel clinics where if a person is traveling internationally — especially to areas in South America, Asia, or Africa — we recommend that they book a travel visit with us beforehand to get personalized recommendations on how they can keep themselves healthy while traveling. For instance, if you are planning on being sexually active while traveling abroad, we can help prescribe medications like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (Doxy-PEP) as appropriate to help protect you from getting an STI.
This may sound old school, but one of the most effective things you can do while traveling is regularly washing your hands, especially before you eat or touch your face. Carrying hand sanitizer is also useful. Avoiding buffets may help protect you from contracting norovirus and other gastrointestinal illnesses. Also, if you are going to be in a large crowd and are concerned about being exposed to illnesses, wearing a mask can help reduce your exposure to contagious droplets. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, I would tell a lot of my patients who often got sick while traveling that wearing a mask on the plane can help them.
Everyone should also be conscious of whether they are sick. I know it would be difficult to stay home and miss the Games, but if you are sick, it’s important that you avoid spreading the illness to others. If you do go out, that’s when it’s especially important to wear a mask and practice lots of hand hygiene.
