Mandatory Nucleic Acid Tests for International Arrivals

advertisement

With international flights being diverted and passengers being processed as far away as Xi’an before being allowed to return to Beijing, returning to the capital is already no walk in the park. And that's all prior to starting a 14-day quarantine in the facility of the government’s choosing, to be footed entirely by the individual (at RMB 200-600 per day). Now, passengers must face another hurdle upon arrival: being tested for the coronavirus.

As the number of imported infections continues to grow, it appears that the city found it necessary to implement wider testing measures on people coming in from other countries, reports Beijing News. As of Mar 25, all international arrivals will now be subject to mandatory nucleic acid testing (NAT), which was previously administered only on arrivals suspected of possible infection. advertisement
Why nucleic acid tests?

The nucleic acid test, which all international arrivals will now be subject to, is not always completely accurate and may in some cases give false negatives. So why use them? Well, even though other tests or diagnostic methods such as chest scans are more accurate and may even give faster results, they tend to be reserved for patients who are seriously suspected of infection. The nucleic acid test is simply easier to administer on a large scale.

What should test recipients expect?

Generally, the nucleic acid test is performed using what is known as a nasopharyngeal swab, which is a painless, but not entirely comfortable procedure. (Be warned, if you're squeamish about things going up your nose, do not scroll down to look at the gifs below.)

After checking the nasal cavity for obstruction, the test administrator will insert a swab deep into the nose of the patient, and turn the swab several times in order to obtain a sample to be tested.

The swab is inserted into the nasal cavity...

Before being twisted to collect a sample. The test recipient may experience some discomfort.

The test will then be sent to a laboratory for testing, and the results should be ready within several days.

Images: The Wall Street Journal, The Joint Commission (via YouTube)

---

advertisement

Top Stories This WeekAll International Flights to be Redirected to One of 12 Cities 
No Foreigners Among Beijing's 31 Imported Cases So Far 
Flying to Beijing? Don't Be Surprised if You Stop in Hohhot 
Beijingers Are Buzzing AboutFlying Into Beijing? Here’s a Handy Flowchart 
Beijing Investigates Traveler Who Disguised Illness on Flight 
Q Mex Respond to Video Purportedly Showing Racist Incident