The International Olympic Committee is facing growing pressure this week to cancel this year’s Olympic games.

The 2020 Olympics are due to be held in Tokyo this summer but many have called for the games to be cancelled as the world battles the Coronavirus pandemic.

So far the IOC and host nation Japan have rejected calls to cancel the games, but Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday admitted the games might have to be delayed until next year and one Olympic Committee member told media that he believed the games would be postponed.

On Monday, Poland joined the list of countries calling for the games to be called off, with the Polish Olympic Committee saying there is too much uncertainty.

So far, both Canada and Australia have announced they would not send delegations unless the games were postponed until next summer.

The IOC also said it would decide within four weeks on whether to delay the games.

The Olympics have never been cancelled or postponed in peacetime. The last games to be cancelled were the 1944 London games.

As Poland cases pass 700, there are signs social distancing may be having an effect

Here in Poland there are now 766 confirmed cases of Coronavirus with eight people now known to have died after contracting COVID-19. But there are signs that the strict measures in place in Poland and other countries are having an effect.

Yesterday the head of Germany’s public health institute said there were signs the virus could be slowing in the country thanks to strict social distancing measures, but added that we will only know for sure on Wednesday.

Germany currently has approximately 30,000 cases.

Police catch two breaching quarantine

Here in Gdansk, two people are facing fines or even jail time after leaving home during a mandatory quarantine.

A woman in her twenties and a middle-aged man were caught shopping despite being under orders to stay at home for quarantine.

The government recently increased the fine for breaking quarantine from 5000 złotych to 30,000 złotych, and violators could face jail time if their behaviour is found to be criminal in nature.

In other developments today:

– The UK is settling in for a three-week lockdown announced PM Boris Johnson yesterday. Brits will be barred from leaving home except for essential shopping and one form of exercise per day

– In what’s been described by humanitarians as a „nightmare come true”, war-torn Syria has declared its first case of the virus.

– and Poland’s president Andrzej Duda has said in a live webcast that he hopes the virus can be slowed down by Easter, but added that this may prove impossible.

The app helping volunteers help the elderly

As always there is some good news as well. A new online app is helping connect Tricity’s senior citizens with volunteers looking to help with everything from grocery shopping to dog walking.

The „IHELPYOU” app aims to connect those in need to people willing to help with everyday tasks like collecting medicine or groceries and walking dogs.It’s available online at https://app.ihelpyou.app in a range of languages including English.

For more information about the ihelpyou app or other ways you can help, visit us online at RadioGdansk.pl or on twitter at RadioGdansk news.

Weather for Tuesday

Today will be bright but chilly with clear skies and a slight breeze expected throughout the day.

Temps will reach up to about 6°C ( or 42 F ) in the afternoon, falling well below freezing overnight with some frost expected tomorrow morning.

Thomas Holdstock