Beijing Athletes Will be COVID Tested Daily at Winter Olympics Regardless of Vaccination Status

Athletes competing in the Beijing Winter Olympics will be required to undergo daily COVID-19 tests regardless of vaccination status.

On Monday, the International Olympic Committee released its playbook, including COVID-19 safety measures, for athletes and team officials in preparation for the Beijing Games, which kick off Feb. 4, 2022.

"We want everyone at the Games to be safe, that's why we're asking all participants to follow these guidelines," Christophe Dubi, executive director of the IOC, said in a statement. "Keeping everyone healthy will ensure the focus remains on the very fundamentals of the Olympic and Paralympic Games – the athletes and the sport."

The Winter Games will operate in a "closed-loop management system" after participants arrive — limiting travel to only Games-related venues within "designated vehicles."

All participants will be required to be tested for COVID-19 daily for the duration of the Games, regardless of vaccination status. Athletes will also be encouraged to wear masks and avoid crowded areas even if they are vaccinated, the playbook states.

RELATED: Beijing Olympics Bans International Spectators, Requires 21-Day Quarantine for Unvaccinated Athletes

Games participants must receive a negative coronavirus test within 72 hours of travel to China, and all athletes and team officials must be fully vaccinated or face a mandatory 21-day quarantine.

While the IOC is not mandating COVID-19 vaccines in order to compete, some national committees — including the United States and Canada — have already required vaccines a requirement for their athletes.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

During the Tokyo Summer Olympics this summer, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) recommended vaccines against COVID-19, though they were not required.

Last month, IOC officials urged Olympic teams to request additional vaccines for athletes.

RELATED VIDEO: Meet These 2 Amputee Athletes Overcoming Obstacles & Going for Gold at This Year's Paralympics

"As we did in Tokyo, we are putting in place rigorous COVID-19 countermeasures to ensure the health and safety of all Olympic participants in Beijing," said IOC president Thomas Bach.

"I would like to encourage those National Olympic Committees who require additional vaccine doses for their delegations, their National Paralympic Committees and other Olympic stakeholders in their territory, to inform our NOC Relations Department as soon as possible so that we can put the necessary arrangements in place," Bach continued.

RELATED: Beijing Winter Olympics to Implement 'Rigorous' COVID-19 Measures, IOC Says

Unlike the Tokyo Games this summer, fans will be allowed to attend the Olympics and Paralympics. However, only spectators from mainland China will be able to purchase tickets and they will be required to follow COVID safety protocols, which have not yet been detailed.

All international spectators — including the families of the athletes — will be banned from attending in order to limit travel into the country.

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC, WHO and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.