Japan Asks China For Anal Swab Covid-19 Test Exemption For Travelers
Suzanne Rowan Kelleher
04 March 2021
In January, it emerged that officials in China were using anal swabs to test for Covid-19, including on some international travelers in a few cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and the port city of Qingdao.
Initially, these tests were given only to individuals deemed to be at high risk of contracting Covid-19. But recently China has made anal-swab tests mandatory for nearly all international travelers, according to the Times UK.
According to the Chinese Center for Disease Control, the test is performed with a very long sterile cotton swab that is inserted up to two inches into the rectum before being gently rotated out.
