China has rolled out anal swab test for Covid-19 gettyKey FactsState-run channel CCTV reported that the tests are reserved for high-risk cases, although there does not appear to be a coordinated policy for them, with reports of surprise tests for some individuals.. Anal swab tests could be more accurate than nose or throat tests, said Li Tongzeng, deputy director of the respiratory and infectious diseases department at Beijing You An Hospital, in an interview with state media. Forbes has reached out to China’s health agency for more details on the new test’s rollout and approached the U.S. CDC and FDA to see whether they have plans to introduce anal swab tests. Chief CriticNot all experts agree with the use of anal swabs to test for a respiratory illness. Further ReadingChina deploys anal swabs to test for Covid-19 (AFP)China rolls out anal swab coronavirus tests, saying it’s more accurate than throat method (Washington Post)China’s Zero-Tolerance Covid Approach Now Includes Anal Swabs (Bloomberg)Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus

Source: Forbes January 27, 2021 13:07 UTC