10- Press Conference Jeffrey Martin

Reference:  Press Conference on Olympic Games and Urban Medical Assurances. (2009). Chinese Law & Government, 42(4), 9-21. doi:10.2753/CLG0009-4609420401 Retrieved from: Academic Search Premier

Theme:  This press conference covered public health concerns with the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. 

Summary: The International Olympics Committee was concerned with visiting parties being at risk from diseases in China.  The PIO for the press conference was assuring them that the risks were mitigated.  The Chinese government began supervision programs to stop the spread of disease.  Air quality surveys were being conducted daily.  There was a big concern about spreading AIDS.

·         Widespread food safety programs were implemented.

·         Disease monitoring was established for all Olympic venues and official Olympic hotels.

·         400,000 condoms were distributed to the rooms of all the large hotels in the area.

·         250,000 copies of “Manual of Preventing Aids” were distributed.

·         Beijing set up two methadone clinics to help with opioid addiction.

·         7,397 people connected to the competitions were treated for various problems.

Application to Lesson:  This was an interesting article to read, simply because it was an official press conference from representatives of the Chinese government.  Their government is very tight lipped about what happens.  There was a big concern about only showing the best side of the country, and if bad news was leaked they became very embarrassed and angry. 

Application:  It is important for emergency managers to share all available information, not just the good news.  I am certain that there were statistics about disease which were not positive, and which were not reported by the Chinese government.  Don’t be like that; tell all or tell nothing.