Meals provide glimpse of post-Olympic quarantine

Meals provide glimpse of post-Olympic quarantine

The Tokyo Olympics concluded Sunday, Aug. 8, and for most of the thousands of athletes, officials and media who attended, things are slowly getting back to normal. 

But some returned to countries that require them to isolate in hotels as a coronavirus precaution. For them, normalcy is still a ways off.

Quarantined Associated Press photographers in Shanghai; Hong Kong; Sydney; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Taguig, Philippines; and Taipei, Taiwan; shared their experiences as they wait to go home. Their required hotel quarantines range from a week in Hong Kong to three weeks in Shanghai. Most are two weeks.

To stave off boredom, they read, work, exercise, chat with friends and family and watch lots of Netflix.

Food sits outside an isolation hotel in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. Meals delivered include, Aug. 13, dinner and Aug. 14. breakfast and are delivered between 3-5 p.m. everyday. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

A dinner box sits outside a room on a chair of an isolation hotel in Hong Kong, Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Food might provide a welcome distraction, but it's often unappetizing. Some can order takeout once a day at specific times or from specific restaurants; others are limited to whatever food is delivered to them, like it or not. 

In Sydney, photographer Mark Baker’s wife was able to drop off food, but he couldn’t hug her. He could, however, catch a glimpse of her from his room.

The AP photographers took pictures of their hotel rooms and one day's worth of breakfasts, lunches and dinners, providing a window into their lives in quarantine. All say the inconvenience is worth it to keep their friends and family safe.

 

Andy Wong - Shanghai, China

 
Camera gear sits on the bed, left, at a Wassim hotel room used for foreigners to stay during a period of health quarantine in Shanghai, China on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Camera gear sits on the bed, left, at a Wassim hotel room used for foreigners to stay during a period of health quarantine in Shanghai, China on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

 

Mark Baker - Sydney, Australia

 

An exercise bike sits in a hotel isolation room in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

 

Kin Cheung - Hong Kong

 

Water sits on a table in a room at an isolation hotel in Hong Kong, Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

 

Vincent Thian - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

Camera gear sits, center, in a room during day 3 quarantine at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

 

Aaron Favila - Taguig, Philippines

 
Leftover from a food delivery sits on a desk in a room at a quarantine hotel facility in Taguig, Philippines on Friday Aug. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Leftover from a food delivery sits on a desk in a room at a quarantine hotel facility in Taguig, Philippines on Friday Aug. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

 

Johnson Lai - Taipei, Taiwan

 

Food sits on a desk, left, at a quarantine hotel facility in Taipei, Taiwan on Friday Aug. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Johnson Lai)


Text from AP News story, AP PHOTOS: Meals provide glimpse of post-Olympic quarantine

Lead photo: Associated Press photographer Kin Cheung is silhouetted inside an isolation hotel in Hong Kong, Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)