China has made anal swab tests for the coronavirus mandatory for almost all international arrivals. This has deepened a row with other countries as many view the practise as humiliating.

The Chinese government has claimed that such tests provides a higher degree of accuracy thanother screening methods for the coronavirus.

The test, which takes around 10 seconds, involves a saline-soaked cotton swab being inserted three to five centimetres into the rectum and rotated several times. The swab is then removed and securely placed in a test container; and then tested for traces of the virus.

Complaints from governments around the world

The Japanese government already raised its concerns about this "undignified procedure" last week. Katsunobu Kato, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, said it would ask China to alter its testing regimen after some Japanese travellers reported suffering "psychological pain" from the invasive procedure. American diplomats have also complained.According to Mail Online, last month, footage emerged purporting to show people waddling like penguins after taking one of the anal swabs. Chinese authorities labelled the video 'fake', promising citizens that they would not walk like that after taking the tests.

Alternatives

As a possible compromise, Lu Hangzhou, a shanghai based doctor, told China's state media that the anal swab could be substituted with a stool sample.South Korea has been the first country to make use of Dr. Lu's alternative. Choi Young-Sam, a spokesman of the South Korean foreign ministry announced on Tuesday that; South Korean visitors can now submit stool samples instead of "Chinese authorities taking them directly".

As part of the new travel requirement, there will be testing hubs in Beijing and Shanghai airports. Li Tongzeng, a respiratory disease medic said that the anal swabs are better; because virus traces stay longer in faecal samples than they do in the nose or throat.