Travelling to China? Get ready for anal covid test
London, March 5, 2021 (AltAfrica)-Anal Covid swabs have been made compulsory for everyone flying into China from abroad, despite protests from governments around the world.
The ‘humiliating’ procedure involves a sterile cotton swab, which looks like a very long ear bud, being inserted 3cm to 5cm into the anus before being gently rotated out.
Beijing claim it is a more accurate way of testing whether someone has Covid, compared to the traditional method which involves samples being taken from the nose and throat.
Anal tests can ensure infections are spotted, since coronavirus traces can be detectable in the anus for longer than in the respiratory tract, according to Chinese doctors.
Some international arrivals have already had to take an anal test before being allowed to leave quarantine. The Japanese government complained about the procedure this week, saying its citizens had been subjected to ‘great psychological pain’.
Beijing is now expanding the use of the swab tests to airports, including in Beijing and Shanghai although officials are under pressure to make compromises, according to The Times.
South Korean visitors can now submit stool samples instead of ‘Chinese authorities taking them directly’, Choi Young-Sam, a spokesman of the South Korean foreign ministry, said on Tuesday.
