An unnamed U.S. State Department official said Wednesday that Chinese officials required an unspecified number of American diplomatic personnel to submit to anal testing for Chinese coronavirus. The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday denied any such testing had occurred.
The unnamed State Department official told Vice News about the alleged anal swabs Wednesday:
“The State Department never agreed to this kind of testing and protested directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when we learned that some staff were subject to it,” a State Department spokesperson told VICE World News on Wednesday.Reuters obtained a passive confirmation from the State Department in an email that said the department was “committed to guaranteeing the safety and security of American diplomats and their families, while preserving their dignity.”
The spokesperson said Beijing had assured Washington that the test was given “in error” and that diplomatic personnel were exempt from the test, which was mandatory for incoming travelers in some parts of China.
“We have instructed staff to decline this test if it is asked of them, as was done in the past.”
The Washington Post reported on February 17 that some U.S. personnel stationed in China “have complained about being subjected to anal swab tests for the coronavirus by Chinese authorities, said U.S. officials.” A State Department official said all “reasonable options” were being evaluated to preserve the “dignity” of U.S. officials “consistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.”
China began using anal swabs to detect the coronavirus at the beginning of this year, primarily for high-risk subjects, people who were already under quarantine, and travelers arriving in the capital of Beijing. The procedure was used more broadly during the regional coronavirus outbreaks that coincided with China’s Lunar New Year holiday. Chinese scientists claimed the anal tests were more accurate than nasal or throat testing. No other nation has incorporated this sort of testing into their regular coronavirus response at press time.
“The use of anal swabs is limited because it’s invasive and inconvenient. If a stool sample cannot be obtained, a saline-soaked cotton swab about 1-2 inches long is inserted into the...
Last week came down with the FLU... I had an appointment with my NP yesterday and she wanted a nasal swab for covid ... I told her no unless she did the anal swab. That didn't go over very well. I have a feeling I am going to be dismissed out of her practice eventually. I am an old retired nurse and seen it, heard it all. I won't put up with BS.
ReplyDeleteThat is too fucking funny!!!!! Good for you!
DeleteWell, on the plus side, there are at least a few people in government who now know what it feels like to take it up the ass for a change.
ReplyDeleteNot really, it is only a small cotton swab, not a D9 Bulldozer.......
DeleteIf you ain't use to having stuff shoved up the exhaust port it may feel like a D9 Dozer... Why I resist having colonoscopies...
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteA flu bug that is so highly contagious that a light spray left in the air will cause death and mayhem, so they swab way deep, up into the brain digging for a disease you most likely don't have; now they want to look for this non existent invisible critter in your bottom using the most demeaning method possible. Yeah. Right. Tell me there is not a psychological component here. Tell me that China is not laughing like mad over this.
ReplyDelete