At least 100 US Olympic athletes are unvaccinated as 2020 Games begin

Around 100 U.S. Olympic athletes that are set to compete in Japan remain unvaccinated as the Games begin on Friday.

U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s medical chief Jonathan Finnoff said before the opening ceremony on Friday there were 567 athletes who filled out their health histories, with 83 percent of them saying they were vaccinated. There are 613 athletes going to the Olympics, The Associated Press reported.

“Eighty-three percent is actually a substantial number and we’re quite happy with it,” Finnoff said.

The Olympics did not require athletes to get vaccinated before arriving in the country and have taken measures such as removing all spectators to help curb the spread of the virus.

However, the Olympics are beginning as Tokyo has broken its six-month high for daily COVID-19 cases two days in a row.

Two U.S. athletes have had to withdraw from the Games for positive coronavirus tests, along with multiple athletes from other countries.

Officials report 85 percent of the Olympic village is vaccinated against the virus and strict measures have been placed on athletes to keep them safe.

Japanese citizens have been protesting the Olympics out of fear the big event that has caused thousands to flood into the country will lead to an increase in cases.