BEIJING -- The opening ceremony may be days away, but it's already clear that covering the 2022 Beijing Olympics will be unlike anything even the most seasoned sports reporter has experienced.
Robots mixing drinks and serving up wantons, cabins in the press centre offering hour-long power naps and airport staff in hazmat suits are some of the unique sights at the Beijing Games, which has athletes, staff and media separated from the public in a "closed loop" to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Some reporters have said their hotel rooms were sealed shut with tape while they awaited the results of a COVID-19 test, and notification of the result via phone and a noisy removal of the tape can happen at any hour.
While last year's Tokyo Olympics also operated inside a "bubble" environment, the measures at the Beijing Games
Those who enter Beijing's "closed loop" are tested for COVID-19 daily and are restricted to moving between approved hotels to competition venues or the main press centre.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2022.
