Anal swabs for COVID-19 have become mandatory for entry into China from overseas. This is reported by the British newspaper The Times.
It is clarified that the decision is due to the fact that the Chinese authorities consider this method more reliable than nasal and oropharyngeal swabs. Special testing points are installed at the airports of Beijing and Shanghai.
A new method for testing for coronavirus began to be used in China at the end of January. Then it was reported that Chinese schoolchildren and teachers, as well as some arriving in China, were subjected to an unusual procedure.
In February, some representatives of the US diplomatic mission in China complained that they were being forced to have anal swabs for COVID-19. The State Department said they would study the issue and make a decision. However, China has denied taking anal swabs for coronavirus from American diplomats. The humiliating procedure was also criticized by the Japanese government, which said the smears inflicted mental anguish on its citizens visiting China.