INTERNATIONAL: There are thousands of local staff and volunteers that help Olympic participants inside the "closed loop."

Most people never fully see each other's expressions, as everyone is masked. In fact, many of them are covered from head to toe in full protective gear. But many of them are eager to chat, longing for more interaction.

In each conversation from workers, “we are struck by the personal sacrifice we have made to be a part of the event”. For months, they have to lived apart from their families inside the Olympic bubble. After the Games end, they're in quarantine for 21 days at a government facility to ensure no Covid-19 case slips out.

There are two tiny glass cubicles outside of the hotel. Inside each one is a worker in a hazmat suit, mask and face shield. They administer Covid-19 tests every day. The first cubicle scans your credentials and hands you a tube. The second cubicle takes your throat swab.

During the staff shifts that last at least six hours, they cannot drink, eat, or use the bathroom the entire time. To prevent themselves from needing to relieve himself, they don’t eat before their shift starts. The staff say it's difficult to be away from their children and family for a long time. Some staff manage to video call them every day. Despite the grueling work, the staff are proud to be part of the Winter Olympics.

To travel between the hotel and Olympic venues, reporters have dedicated drivers.

On Lunar New Year day, a reporter said an Olympic worker was standing at the edge of the closed-loop, waving to her two young sons behind layers of barricades and fences. Meters apart, her sons yelled to their mother that they missed her and wished they could be together for the New Year. The woman told the reporter her family lives close to the Olympic area. In fact, she could even see her home from her hotel room in the closed-loop. She said this was the longest that she'd ever been apart from her kids, and it made her tearful to think about how close, yet how far apart they are.