Letter of the Day | US should have withdrawn COVID-19 positive athletes

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I watched the performances of all our athletes and the playback tapes and noted that most of the Jamaican athletes hug the winners after each event (notable exception was our gold medal winner who was subdued and guided with protocol).

Noah Lyles probably had COVID-19 from early and that is why he had to bring all his energy to the fore to come second in the heats. I am sure the US team doctors checked him and knew but they still allowed him to run, compromising all the athletes and everyone in the stadium.

Jamaicans are very friendly, and more so in athletics, hence the hugs. Not everybody does that and only do a high five or a touch. That would explain why the signs of something wrong started early for the Jamaican team.

I had COVID-19 twice and both times it was mild but I stayed home till I knew the vaccine was protecting me,, as I had no symptoms. I feel it when people with COVID-19 get close or I hug someone because I need more water than normal even after I go to bed.

My brother-in-law is fully vaccinated but visited me and said he wanted to sit in on a meeting I was having, but he could not as he had the sniffles.

I advised him to do a home test, and he tested positive. With the new strain, what my doctor explained is that you will know when you have encountered COVID-19 as you will have a situation of feeling lethargic and, if you test, you will know it is a new strain of COVID-19 your body is fighting. The only thing you have to do is stay home, drink plenty water and relax as much as possible. In a day or two, your energy is back and you go back to normal.

Our athletes probably all had their bodies not perform at peak levels as their antibodies were fighting COVID-19, which they may have been inadvertently exposed to when Kishane congratulated Lyles.

This compromised all the attendees at the stadium because of their carelessness. It also compromised Lyles, as he collapsed after the 200 metres final, which should be a lesson for him.

This is what happens when you get greedy and do not think of others, and is a typical dominating style of the US.

If they allowed their athletes to compete after being tested positive for COVID-19, their medals should be taken away. The US should have withdrawn those athletes who were tested positive and placed them in quarantine.

ROBERT STEPHENS