Delhi / Delhi reduces maximum prices of COVID tests, home collection for RT-PCR to cost ₹700

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Wednesday issued revised rates of RT-PCR test and Rapid Antigen Detection Test (RAT) for coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The conventional RT-PCR test for Covid-19 will now cost ₹300 in the national capital when the samples are collected by government teams, according to an order issued by Delhi’s health and family welfare department. The RAT will also cost ₹300.

In case the samples are collected by the private lab teams and processed at their lab for the government, the RT-PCR test will cost ₹400. Individuals giving their samples at private hospitals, labs, and collection facilities have to pay ₹500 for the Covid-19 test at their own expense, which includes sample collection charges and testing costs.

The RT-PCR test will cost ₹700 when samples are collected from home. It will include visiting charges, sample collection, and testing. The revised rates come into effect immediately, as per the order.

The health department said that private sector labs have to mandatorily collect the samples from the testing sites as requisitioned by government teams. It also directed all labs and hospitals to display the revised rates at “prominent” places within 24 hours of the order issued.

“Processing of samples, sharing the reports with the client (government of individual) and updation of all reports on ICMR portal will be ensured latest within 24 hours of collection of samples,” the order read.