AOC: The health of our Team is paramount. The AOC has a clear and unequivocal focus on the safety and welfare of members of the 2016 Australian Olympic Team.
Tropical diseases will provide medical challenges in Rio and the AOC is warning potential members of the Rio Olympic Team of the dangers especially of mosquito-borne diseases.
The education forms part of the ASPIRE sessions currently being presented around the country to athletes in the Shadow Team.
The Team Medical Director, Dr David Hughes, and his Team are monitoring the situation and offering advice to Team members.
In Rio the whole of the Australian Olympic Team, athletes and officials, will be issued with mosquito repellent.
There are a number of mosquito-borne diseases which are prevalent in Brazil including Yellow Fever, Dengue Fever, Chikungunya Virus and Zika Virus.
There is no vaccine or specific treatment for the mosquito-borne diseases but all members of the Australian Olympic Team will be vaccinated against Yellow Fever.
The authorities say there is less risk of these diseases in Rio compared to other regions of Brazil but the types of mosquitoes that transmit these diseases are active all day and therefore all team members need to be conscious of avoiding mosquito bites at all times.
We will be advising Team members to wear long sleeves in situations where they perceive a risk of mosquito bites particularly around stagnant water and heavy vegetation.
We will also be recommending that Team members living in the Village do not leave windows or doors open but rather use the air conditioning provide by the Organising Committee.
All females of childbearing age need to be aware of the specific risks of microcephaly in newborns, should the mother become infected during pregnancy.
Following the recently updated DFAT guidelines, any Team members who are pregnant at the time of the Games need to consider the risks very carefully before deciding whether to proceed with travel to Brazil.
Australian Team Chef de Mission Kitty Chiller is in regular contact with Dr. Hughes to ensure she has the latest information and can put in place whatever precautions are possible.
“The health and wellbeing of all our Team members is paramount, especially those females in the Team of child bearing age. We have a responsibility to ensure that we educate and inform all prospective Team members of the potential risks and to put in place whatever mitigating measures we can," Chiller says.
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