China Revives COVID-19 'Anal Testing' Ahead of Beijing Olympics... Effectiveness 'Uncertain'

Two Weeks Before the Olympics, Highest Level of Quarantine Measures
Anal PCR Tests Conducted in Some Areas
Experts Divided on Effectiveness

An example of anal specimen collection for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing being conducted in China / Photo by Chinese SNS 'Weibo'

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] About two weeks before the opening of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Chinese health authorities are reportedly conducting COVID-19 'anal tests.' Chinese authorities claim that the anal testing method has a higher virus detection rate compared to the conventional specimen collection tests.

According to the British media outlet 'The Sun,' the Beijing COVID-19 Prevention and Control Center conducted anal swab polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests on 27 residents on the 15th (local time). This test was carried out on some citizens while PCR testing was being conducted on about 13,000 residents near the residence of the first Omicron variant infected person detected in Beijing.

Currently, China is putting all efforts into epidemic prevention ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics opening on February 4. The anal test appears to be part of measures to thoroughly track and manage confirmed cases.

The anal test is conducted by a health official inserting the tip of a swab 3 to 5 cm deep into the anus and rotating it several times to collect a specimen. The person being tested must remove their lower garments during this process.

On the 19th (local time), a boy is undergoing a sample collection while residents line up in front of a temporary COVID-19 testing site in Beijing, the capital of China. / Photo by Yonhap News

The anal test is known to have been first introduced in Shanghai in early 2020 when COVID-19 initially broke out. Since then, it has been additionally implemented in some regions such as Beijing and Qingdao.

However, concerns about human rights violations have been raised because the anal test is excessively painful and can cause shame to the person being tested. In March last year, the Japanese government publicly requested China to exempt Japanese entrants from the anal test.

At a regular press conference at the time, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsunobu stated, "There have been complaints that some Japanese people experienced psychological distress after undergoing anal tests upon arrival in China."

However, opinions among experts are reportedly divided regarding the actual effectiveness of the anal test.

The Chinese National Health Commission holds the position that the COVID-19 virus is detected better in the anus than in the respiratory tract such as the nose or throat. They explain that asymptomatic or mild cases recover quickly, often testing negative in oral tests, but stool tests have much higher accuracy and can increase detection rates.

On the other hand, Yang Zhanqiu, Deputy Director of the Department of Pathogen Biology at Wuhan University, expressed an opposing view, stating, "The virus infects the upper respiratory tract, not the digestive system," and that "nasal testing is the most efficient."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.