[LINK] O/T: China and COVID-19

[Stephen Loosley]

China is enforcing strict new measures, including anal swab testing, as COVID-19 cases surge ahead of Lunar New Year, a time of high travel for the country.

Authorities are imposing quarantine periods of up to one month for foreign arrivals

Groups deemed necessary for "close monitoring", including international arrivals, are being subjected to four tests — a nasal swab, a throat swab, a blood test and an anal swab.

"Applying extra anal swabs can improve the detection rate of infection and reduce missed diagnosis," Li Tongzeng, associate director of Beijing's You'an Hospital, told state broadcaster Central Chinese Television (CCTV).

Dr Li said because anal swabs were not as convenient as oral swabs, they were only being used for people under quarantine in major hotspots, including Daxing district in Beijing.

One woman from the northern city of Tangshan told the state-run Beijing News newspaper the anal swabs were "a bit embarrassing, but for our [own] good. Each [anal] test is less than 10 seconds. It can be tolerated," she said.


Ref: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-27/china-coronavirus-new-invasive-quarantine-rules-lunar-new-year/13094370