China re-introdues anal swab testing to stop the spread of Omicron variant

The Chinese government has brought back anal swab testing for Covid-19 in a bid to stop the spread of the Omicron variant, just two weeks before the Beijing Winter Olympics begin. At least 27 people underwent the controversial anal swab tests at an apartment building in Beijing where a 26-year-old woman had contracted Omicron, the city's first recorded case of the variant, according to Chinese newspaper The Beijing News. The US, Japan, South Korea, and Germany, all raised concerns about the tests, although China has denied claims that they are required for US diplomats. The anal tests involve inserting a sterile cotton swab up to two inches (5cm) into the rectum and rotating it several times. The swab is then removed before being analysed in a lab. 

Beijing is currently in the midst of a strict lockdown and testing regime after the city reported its first local Omicron infection on January 15, and 11 cases have been confirmed in the capital as of Thursday afternoon, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. Earlier this week, China cancelled plans to sell tickets to the public for the Olympics and said only 'selected' spectators will be permitted to attend, as the number of Covid-19 cases in the country reached its highest since March 2020. Anal swab testing has been used in China since 2020, with the country sparking controversy in March last year when it expanded the use of the anal swabs to any foreign travellers flying into Beijing. Outside of Beijing, several million people remain under lockdown as part of China's 'zero-tolerance' approach to dealing with the pandemic that has been credited with preventing outbreaks on the scale of the U.S. and other countries.  Numbers of new cases have dropped substantially in recent days amid strict adherence to masking, travel restrictions and school closures, along with a vaccination rate that now tops 85 per cent. Some medical experts worry a lack of exposure to the virus could harm the Chinese population's ability to deal with future waves of infection.