Welcome to China! Now, bend over. . .
China has made anal swab tests for the coronavirus mandatory for almost all international arrivals.
Both the Japanese and American governments have hit out at the move, calling it humiliating, but Beijing insists it provides a higher degree of accuracy. https://t.co/y5GAmz8gxT
— The Times (@thetimes) March 3, 2021
And scratch China off the vacation list:
Another fine excuse I can deploy to explain to my kid why China is not on our holiday list…https://t.co/6JkwbIyMKe
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 4, 2021
Just follow the helpful instructions!
ANYONE flying into China can now be given anal Covid-19 swab as Beijing expands its testing https://t.co/7jsK2it0m0
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) March 4, 2021
And if you can’t figure out how to put a swab in your own butt, there are people on hand to help:
What are anal swabs? Why anal swabs? Foreigners only? Only in China? Reuters has the answers to all your burning questions. “If people are not familiar with the procedure for taking an anal swab test, our employees will help explain how it will be done.”https://t.co/hjKfgmkkz5
— Jonathan Cheng (@JChengWSJ) March 4, 2021
“Gently rotated for 10 seconds”:
Global Times: "Anal swab testing involves a cotton swab from three to five centimeters long being inserted in one's rectum and gently rotated for 10 seconds of sample excavation, the Beijing health commission explained on its website."https://t.co/ptDHW7qydT
— Jonathan Cheng (@JChengWSJ) March 4, 2021
Some experts say submitting a fecal sample upon arrival is somehow a better solution:
Anal swab causing 'psychological pain'? Experts suggest submitting fecal samples instead to reduce embarrassment. https://t.co/BP8TaRwdtR
— Ǥᗝᗝᗪᒪᑌᑕᛕ 真正的好運 (@RealHauleGluck) March 3, 2021
Although it’s not quite clear how widespread the testing is at this point. From Reuters:
Travellers flying into Shanghai must undertake a full battery of tests including anal swabs, if more than five people on their airplane test positive for the virus, state media reported, citing one of the local CDC staff.
Travellers from regions where the virus is rampant or those who test positive on arrival also need to undergo such tests, according to the staffer.
While anal swabs are not compulsory for all international arrivals in China, one staffer of Beijing’s Daxing district epidemic control department told state-backed Global Times that international visitors to Beijing were subject to such testing.
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