China mandates anal swab COVID-19 tests for all foreign arrivals after US slams exam as 'undignified'
China has decided to require international travelers entering the country to undergo anal swab procedures to test for COVID-19, a method the communist nation insists is more accurate than other on-the-spot mechanisms for detecting the disease.
The Times out of the UK reported Wednesday that China has now made the tests "compulsory," in a move the newspaper says deepened "a row with other countries over a practice many have described as humiliating."
What are the details?
According to the New York Post, the Times claims that "as part of the new travel requirement, there will be testing hubs in Beijing and Shanghai airports." The Sun reported that "the procedure involved inserting a cotton swab about three to five centimeters into the anus and gently rotating it."
Beijing insists that anal swabs are more accurate than nasal or throat swab tests.
Li Tongzeng, a Chinese respiratory and infectious disease expert, explained to the media last month that the anal swabbing can "avoid missing infections as virus traces are detectable for a longer time than the more common COVID tests used in the mouth and nose."
As TheBlaze previously reported, Li insisted at the time "that the tests were only necessary for certain populations, such as those under quarantine orders."
But the news of the widespread mandate comes after the United States and Japan issued separate complaints to China after diplomats from both nations were forced to provide fecal samples via the invasive method.
American diplomats cry foul
Last week, the U.S. State Department protested to China's Minister of Foreign Affairs after American diplomats cried foul over being subjected to anal swab tests, which "Washington has slammed as 'undignified,' according to The Sun.
The Chinese Communist Party has denied that it subjected American diplomats to rectal probing, but then Japan complained this week that the anal swabs were conducted on their diplomats upon entry to China.
Katsunobu Kato, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, said during a news conference, "Some Japanese reported to our embassy in China that they received anal swab tests, which caused a great psychological pain."
However, Chinese physician Lu Hongzhou suggested on state-run media that foreigners do have an alternative to the swab test upon arrival in the country: providing a stool sample.
Media ticked over White House plan to charge reporters $170 for COVID-19 test every time they enter
The White House plans to roll out a new policy starting Monday that would charge journalists $170 to take a COVID-19 test every time they enter the grounds, and reporters in the press corps and beyond are not happy about it.
What are the details?
The Washington Post revealed the plan, reporting that the Biden administration is getting pushback from media outlets large and small who are unhappy about being asked to pay the government what could amount to tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege of doing their jobs.
But the Biden administration says the tests are just too expensive for the White House to keep paying.
The outlet pointed out:
Until now, the cost of testing has been borne by the White House. But officials there contend that the cost of maintaining the testing regime for nearly a year has strained its budget. So it wants to shift the burden onto news organizations: No test, no entry to the White House.
Reporters from across the country also expressed their frustrations and dismay over the new policy on social media.
Max Tani of The Daily Beast tweeted, "I think part of 'bringing truth and transparency back to the briefing room' is not making it prohibitively expensive for smaller outlets with tight budgets to go to the White House."
I think part of “bringing truth and transparency back to the briefing room” is not making it prohibitively expensiv… https://t.co/Qjvr8kiWn1— Max Tani (@Max Tani)1614372358.0
Mississippi Free Press reporter Ashton Pittman criticized the Biden administration for what he believed was two bad decisions in the same day, writing, "It's GREAT that the president doesn't call journalists 'fake news' or 'the enemy of the people.' But between apparently deciding to let MBS off the hook for murder and now trying to make journalists pay $170 per visit to the @WhiteHouse? This is madness."
It's GREAT that the president doesn't call journalists "fake news" or "the enemy of the people."But between appar… https://t.co/0aWRs3u4fQ— Ashton Pittman (@Ashton Pittman)1614381051.0
Pittman argued further, "Not all outlets can afford that, but on principle it's antithetical to the free press-public servant relationship to make journalists pay for access." He added, "We need transparency, not admission fees."
Some Twitter users hailed the White House's decision, expressing hope that smaller outlets — namely conservative outlets OANN and Newsmax — might be priced out of attending press briefings under the new policy.
Tim Murtaugh, the former communications director for President Donald Trump's 2020 campaign, explained, "Put another way: A small news outlet with one White House reporter, paying $170 for each virus test, would pay:
$170/day
$850/week
$3,400/month
$40,800/year.
That's a lot for the privilege of covering Biden. Only bigger outlets could swing it."
Put another way:A small news outlet with one White House reporter, paying $170 for each virus test, would pay:💥… https://t.co/9Hjxabk2T5— Tim Murtaugh (@Tim Murtaugh)1614384227.0
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Time for a DC Cognitive Test | 8/31/23