Now private laboratories will also be able to do corona tests, such charge

New Delhi, Mar 22, 2020, Sunday

Given the growing case of corona, the central government has now recommended that private laboratories be allowed to test the corona virus.

According to a guide line issued by the Indian Council for Medical Research, all private laboratories accredited by NABL will be allowed to perform this test. A notification for this was issued on Saturday night.

The government, however, ordered the laboratories not to charge more than Rs 4500 for this test. 1500 rupees has been fixed for screening of suspected patients and another Rs 3000 for confirmation test.

The health ministry has warned that if a laboratory is caught taking more money than that, it will be dealt with stern action.

Laboratories have talked about setting up a separate center for corona samples. Private laboratories can take samples even at home. So that the patient does not come in contact with anyone else.

Laboratories will have to use a kit certified by the Federal Drug Authority or the European Authority for testing. Laboratory personnel need to be trained for this. Extreme care must also be taken in disposing of biomedical waste.

ICMR notifies detailed guidelines for # Covid_19 testing by private labs.

Maximum cost should not exceed Rs 4,500 - Rs 1,500 for screening test suspect cases & additional Rs 3,000 for confirmation test

ICMR, however, has urged free or subsidized testing by private labs pic.twitter.com/2alVhwoVG4

- PIB India (@PIB_India) March 22, 2020