Birmingham 2022’s approach to dealing with the virus at the Games has been questioned by some leading team officials.

Craig Phillips, chief executive of Commonwealth Games Australia, felt that the Organising Committee had taken a "more relaxed approach than we anticipated a few months ago", while New Zealand’s Chef de Mission Nigel Avery expressed his displeasure over the "unfair" COVID-19 policy in place at the Games.

However, Burke praised the stance adopted by Birmingham 2022 following his arrival in the English city.

"With the COVID-19 situation, athletes obviously want to come out and get involved," said Burke.

"I think we must compliment the Organising Committee for the relaxation of the COVID protocols as it builds that closeness.

"Although we still have to be careful as COVID is still around, we want to build that cohesiveness among the athletes so I think we need to pay compliments to the Organising Committee for that."

Burke, who is attending his sixth Commonwealth Games, is set to lead a 98-strong delegation to Birmingham 2022.

Athletes and officials will be required to present a negative COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result before departing for Birmingham and then another upon arrival.

Several recommendations have also been made by Birmingham 2022 including minimising physical contact, wearing masks in "indoor settings while in close proximity to athletes and on Games transport" and staying in their accommodation if they develop COVID-19 symptoms.

The Athletes' Villages officially opened today, with athletes split across sites at the University of Birmingham, the NEC Hotel Campus and the University of Warwick.

Ashwin Lokare, head of Games family services for Birmingham 2022, outlined the work that was being done to put the "appropriate" COVID-19 measures in place at the Athletes Villages.

"We have looked at WHO [World Health Organization] guidelines, we have looked UK guidelines and we have been flexible and adapted to what we have to offer for the CGAs [Commonwealth Games Association]," said Lokare.

"We have always given them updates as to where the UK is and where the world is so we believe that our thresholds and hygiene standards are appropriate to where we are.

"We have also requested for athletes and team officials to do PCR tests before they leave to make sure we are aware of what is coming in and then we also test them before they come into the Villages."

Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin also gave her support to the COVID-19 protocols.

"Everything is planned and everyone has their instructions as to what they have to do to keep the athletes safe and healthy with COVID-19 and making sure all the testing has been done and keep ourselves clean," Dame Louise told insidethegames.

"We can only hope that everybody will follow the rules and regulations that we have set for the sake of the athletes to be able to perform well.

"There is a fantastic team of medics here and I will say to everybody that the CGAs are taking it on and their medics are working with them as well."