In order to combat the pandemic of the new coronavirus, China has introduced a new protocol in the testing system for covid-19. The swabs – or in good Portuguese, cotton swabs – are being used in another place besides the nose and throat.
Yes, it is exactly where you are thinking. According to Asian media, samples collected in the anus of possible contaminants are being used.
The justification of Chinese doctors for the quasi-proctological examination is that recovering patients can continue to test positive for the coronavirus even after the samples collected in the nose and throat have been negative.
Analyzing the lower digestive tract, it is possible to know with precision if the person still has Sars-Cov-2 in his body.
“Using an anal swab test, we can increase our rate of identification of infected patients, however, we must emphasize that this type of collection is not as convenient as other tests,” infectologist Li Tongzeng told Chinese television network CCTV on Sunday.
Despite the supposed effectiveness of the new protocol, Chinese doctors and patients question the new option because of the possible constraint caused by the collection. In a survey conducted on the Weibo social network, about 80% of people who participated said they would not accept the invasive method.
With the method’s lack of popularity, Chinese doctors claim that anal PCR will only be used in select groups, such as people who are in quarantine centers.
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