MUCH has been made of the "nightmare" that is hotel quarantine in Australia, including the indignation of having to wash and blow dry your own hair.
Throw in a couple of COVID-19 tests, with someone jabbing a stick down your throat before ramming it up your nostrils, it's positively ghastly - just ask any tennis pro.
However, if you think that's traumatic, spare a thought for those quarantining in China, who have just discovered that officials are now using anal swabs to detect the virus.
The alternative testing method involves the use of a saline-soaked cotton swab being inserted approximately three centimetres into the rectum, before being twisted around and withdrawn, with the sample securely placed in a container for analysis.
Authorities have said there were no plans to extract the anal swab testing nationwide as it was not particularly convenient.
We think we can safely say this is one form of COVID testing no one will want to see being conducted in Australian community pharmacies!
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 29 Jan 21
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