Anal swabs for testing COVID-19 will not be done on American diplomats anymore in China, the US State Department said.
On February 24, a spokesperson of the US State Department was quoted as saying that they had never agreed to this kind of testing and immediately brought the matter to the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The spokesperson further added that Beijing had assured Washington that the test was given “in error” and that diplomatic personnel were exempt from the test.
"We have instructed staff to decline this test if it is asked of them, as was done in the past," said the spokesperson.
However, on February 25, VICE reported that China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian denied that Beijing had asked US diplomats in China to undergo anal swab tests.
Some Chinese regions have been ordering anal swabs for people under quarantine, including those who arrived from abroad. Authorities say the tests can avoid missing infections. But it acknowledged that rectal swabs are not suitable for mass use because they are inconvenient and unpopular.
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