U.S. diplomats in China were made to undergo anal swab tests for coronavirus.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied the claim and stated that U.S. diplomats were not made to undergo anal swab tests.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied the claim and stated that U.S. diplomats were not made to undergo anal swab tests.Some Chinese cities are using specimens taken from the anus to detect potential infections. This is because COVID-19 is easier to detect through anal samples than through the respiratory tract because the traces of the virus remain in the stool longer than in the respiratory tract. For the test, a cotton swab that looks like a long earbud is inserted into the anus and is gently rotated to collect the samples.

The Washington Post reported that U.S. diplomats were subjected to anus tests. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said that the department was committed to guaranteeing the safety and security of American diplomats and their families while preserving their dignity, consistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as well as other relevant diplomatic law provisions.

However, Zhao Lijian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told the reporters in a daily briefing on February 25, 2021, that China has never asked U.S. diplomats stationed in China to do anal swab tests. "China has never asked U.S. diplomats stationed in China to do anal swab tests," Zhao said.

As only the individuals involved will know if this claim is true, Logically has deemed it unverifiable.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.